You Look Good In My Shirt
by justlikebrooke
Summary: It's May 17th 2013 and Lucas thinks back on the years passed since high school graduation. This is a BLstory and it's an alternate road for the upcoming season 5.
1. Chapter 1

So all you OTH-fans, if you're anything like me then season 4 disappointed you greatly and hope for season 5 is low… And it was with those feelings in the back of my head that I started talking to some of my FF-girls about writing this story. And yes, I know I should be updating my other stories, but I just couldn't. Not until this was out of my system. It's a 5-parter and it's finished already so updates won't be far apart.  
A huge thank you to Cami, Casey, Eva and the others that was in the convo that night when we talked about the ultimate endning; without you girls this story wouldn't have become written.  


Without further ado; This is MY version of season 5… and maybe even season 6, loosely based on the song 'You look good in my shirt' by Keith Urban.

-

**YOU LOOK GOOD IN MY SHIRT**

-

**May**** 17****th**** 2013**

It's after dinnertime and the sun is already setting behind the trees across the river, turning the sky all sorts of purple and orange. The sounds of laughter fill the River Court Park and Lucas, who is standing on the far side of the tarmac, puts his arm around Haley's shoulders and leans his head onto hers. And even though the scenery around them looks exactly like it has since they were kids, High school is now six years behind them. The River Court might have been saved from time's evolution but the people that used to hang out here, like him and Haley, Nathan, Skills, Mouth, Peyton and Brooke and all the others, have grown older and things have changed.

"Would you have thought that it would end up like this?" he asks Haley with a soft voice and his childhood best friend looks up at him, smiling nostalgically. At twenty-four she looks almost like she did in high school, just with dark hair instead of the blonder version she had sported for a couple of years.

"Who wouldn't Luke?" she answers. "Even with all the twists and turns during the last few years one wouldn't have needed to be psychic to foresee this…"

Haley sneaks her arm around his waist and squeezes him before saying; "Just think of that night before James' first birthday… when I asked you about the pictures…"

She brushes some hair out of her face and he smiles at her. And then he thinks back…

---

**May 10****th**** 2008**

Lucas closed the English literature book and threw it aside on the bed. At eight o'clock in the evening he had finally finished reading his 400 pages due until class the morning after and he let out a sigh of relief. Haley, who was sitting in front of his laptop, laughed.

"Don't feel so sorry for yourself Luke. I told you to start weeks ago… College is tougher than you might have thought."

The baby boy sleeping in the carrier on the floor beside her whimpered a little in his sleep and she rocked the car-seat with her foot while clicking away on his computer.

"What are you looking for?" he asked, ignoring her mocking of him.

"The pictures from Rachel's big goodbye party last year. I want to find a good picture of Brooke to frame and hang over James' bed. He sees her so seldom and I want him to remember what she looks like."

"Why would I keep any pictures of Brooke?" he said a little too quickly. "We're not together anymore. Haven't been for almost a year and a half…"

He squirmed a little uncomfortably and Haley must have noticed because she gave him a questioning look.

"I _know_ that Lucas. You're with Peyton, and even though you've hardly talked to her since Christmas, she's still your girlfriend. I'm not looking for nude pictures, just that cute pic of Brooke outside on the porch. You were the one that took it, remember?"

"Uhm… no, I don't…"

He stood up and picked up his book, and just to have something to do he carried it over to the bookshelf. When he turned back around Haley was still looking at him.

"What?" he said with an annoyed pitch to his voice and she raised her eyebrow, looking surprisingly much like his dimpled ex girlfriend.

"You don't remember?"

"No."

"Then what's this?" she said and turned the laptop so he could see the screen. And open on it was exactly the same file that had made him squirm moments ago. His 'Brooke-folder', containing every photo he had of her since they first started dating.

Haley clicked on a picture and a close-up of Brooke filled the screen. It was the exact picture she had been talking about and of course he remembered it. Brooke looked beautiful in it, wide smile, huge dimples and eyes twinkling. Her brown hair hanging loosely in waves around her face and cheeks still rosy from laughing hard just before he snapped the shot.

"Oh, you mean that one" he choked out, knowing that lying had never been his strong side, and Haley's eyebrow shot up even higher.

"Yes Luke, I mean _this_ one. Or this…"

She punched in a couple of commands on the computer's dashboard and the picture gave way for a slideshow. Another picture of Brooke from that evening emerged, this time of her laughing with Nathan in the kitchen.

"Or how about this?"

Brooke again, all smiles and laughter in the garden with Rachel and Bevin. This one could have been discarded as an ordinary picture of 'friends' hadn't it been for the fact that both Bevin and Rachel were cut in half.

"So?" he huffed and turned away. "Me and Brooke are still friends. I'm allowed to have pictures of her."

Haley laughed and shook her head. "Friends? Hah, you could have fooled me… you two have hardly spoken two words to one another since you broke up. Even less since she moved away. But I'm not saying you're not allowed to keep pictures. I'm just wondering why you're acting so strange about it."

"I'm not."

"Okay Luke, if you say so…"

James woke up and Haley reached down and picked him up. His godson had grown so much over the last twelve months and Lucas was happy that he had chosen to stay around him to see him learn all his 'firsts'. He had thought long and hard about the decision not to follow Peyton to Los Angeles but being around James felt more important. Peyton and himself should have managed either way. And they had, at least at first.

The last six months he had hardly talked to her all and he knew that they should just call it quits. But he kept fighting for the relationship, maybe because he knew she still needed him. College in LA hadn't really been as fun as Peyton thought and the once kind of broody girl had turned rather depressing.

He glanced sideways to the picture he kept of her on his nightstand. It was a beautiful picture too, one of his favorites, and Haley saw his eyes shift.

"Talking about Peyton…" she said and bounced James up and down on her lap. "How are things really between you two? I heard she's not coming home for the party tomorrow. How long has it been since you last saw her?"

"Two months. I was there for spring-break, remember?"

He sighed. "I don't know Hales… honestly I think we might as well break up. But she means a lot to me…so I'm not sure what to do…"

His best friend smiled and handed him his giggling godson. "It'll be okay Luke. You'll figure it out."

He lifted the little boy high up in the air earning a laugh from him and in the corner of his eye he still watched the slideshow on the computer-screen. Brooke in junior year, dressed in her cheer uniform. Brooke being silly at a Halloween party at Tric and Brooke in that sequence-dress on the prom they crashed in Honey Grove…

"She's coming tomorrow, you know that right?" Haley said, breaking his line of thoughts.

"No she's not" he answered confused. "You just said so yourself. She's staying in LA because of some exhibition…"

Haley rolled her eyes at him. "I meant Brooke, Luke. She's flying in first thing tomorrow. Nathan is picking her up at ten."

He swallowed. "How long have you known? Why didn't you tell me?"

He hadn't seen Brooke since she left 9 months ago. He had called her on her birthday and she had sent him a postcard from Mexico at Christmas, but other then that nothing. And knowing that he'd have to see her tomorrow made him strangely nervous.

Haley smiled again, this time looking mysteriously full of secrets. "I thought you knew" she said. "I thought you said you were friends…"

---

**May 11****th**** 2008**

He was standing in the middle of the garden blowing up balloons when Nathan's car stopped in the drive-way outside the beach house. Haley was inside preparing the last of the food and for some reason he wanted to run in and hide behind her like a little boy. And when the car-door opened on the passenger side he was happy that he had both Lily and James at his feet so that he could pretend to be busy with them.

He wasn't even sure why seeing Brooke made him so uncomfortable, he had been awake half the night last night thinking about it. Maybe it was simply because they shared so much history and their break-up had been so bad. Or maybe because since they'd lost touch the way they had he felt strange about not really knowing her. She had after all been one of the people that knew him best once.

"Look who's here guys!" he heard Nathan yell and he forced himself to look up. Brooke stood outside the car, picking her suitcase out of the trunk, and she smiled towards him.

"Hi…" he said awkwardly and waved, and she waved back. She looked about the same. Her hair was a little longer but otherwise no real change. And when she came over and spontaneously gave him a hug he subconsciously breathed out in relief. Maybe it wouldn't be weird, hanging out with Brooke without Peyton at his side. They were after all both James' godparents and they needed to get along.

"You look good" he said after letting her go and she smiled widely at him before bending down to the two birthday babies at his feet. She tickled James, making him instantly raise his arms up at her, and she picked him up.

"I always do" she said and winked at him. "But you need to get a hair-cut though Luke. You look more and more like your girlfriend every time I see you."

Nathan, who had joined them, laughed out loud and Lucas smiled too, but he couldn't help to think that 'every time I see you' was a weird phrase. He hadn't seen her once in almost a year.

-

The afternoon passed in the happy demeanor that most birthday parties did. He didn't see much of Brooke, and when he did she was always busy talking to someone or playing with either James or Lily. He was surprised that James seemed so comfortable with her, from what he knew she had hardly spent any time with the baby in the last six months, but then again, he hadn't really asked Haley about Brooke in a long time. Maybe they saw more of each other than he knew about.

And when the sun started to set and people were starting to leave, he took a walk down to the beach and found her sitting on the damp sand, looking out over the ocean. As if she'd felt him behind her, she mumbled;

"I've forgotten how peaceful it is here… There's no place like this in New York."

"I guess not…"

He sat down beside her, silently watching the ocean with her for what felt like a long time, and when she finally spoke again, he had almost forgotten she was there.

"How's Peyton? I haven't talked to her in months…"

"She's alright…"

He pushed the sand back and forth with his sneaker and wondered if Brooke remembered the time when they built a sandcastle right in this spot. Or when they sat out here that night of the formal.

"I really hoped I'd see her here today" Brooke continued. "I wanted to introduce her to David. But I guess it doesn't matter since he couldn't come either…"

"Who's David?"

He looked up now and she smiled brightly at him. "My boyfriend, silly. I wanted him to meet you too. But I guess it's for the best. I've told him some things about you and I guess he'd just be jealous."

He probably should have guessed it. It had after all been a year, but his stomach still dropped at the news of her dating someone. Just like in senior year when she was with Chase he just felt like her being with anyone other then him self was strange, even though he was with Peyton.

"Oh" he said and cleared his throat, "I didn't know that you had a new guy…"

"Well, it's still pretty fresh. But he's great. Haley met him and she liked him."

He pushed the sand into a little pile and bit his lip. "How long have you been seeing him?"

Not that he really wanted to know, but something in the brunette's twinkling eyes made him curious.

"Three months…"

She sounded proud, and happy. And he wondered what the guy was like.

Back in high school, when Brooke first broke up with him it hadn't really crossed his mind that she'd move on. He had been so concentrated on his newfound relationship with her best friend. He hadn't realized how much he would miss Brooke because when he had gone for Peyton he had never in his wildest dreams thought about the fact that it meant that his close bond with Brooke would be broken so abruptly. So the second semester of his senior year had become a very confusing experience. He was happy with Peyton, but seeing Brooke slip further and further away was so much harder then he had imagined it would be, and then, watching as she fell for that guy Chase…

"_I think I love him…"_ she had said at their graduation. _"For real Luke, I think I do…"_

And then the brown-haired skateboard guy had come up behind Brooke, wrapping his arms around her, and he had watched her smile that beautiful smile towards Chase. The dimpled smile that used to be reserved only for him. And for a second he had wanted to break them apart. Pull Brooke away from Chase and tell her all this was ridiculous. She didn't love Chase, she loved him. And he still loved her.

But as a good boy he had instead turned to his girlfriend, gently kissed her forehead before turning back to Brooke and returning her smile. And even though it had for some reason felt so wrong, he still opened his mouth and said; _"I'm happy for you Brooke."_

Now, a year later he was completely over his brunette ex-girlfriend and he and Peyton had been happy for a long time. Yet the same feeling of ownership and raw jealousy emerged in the pit of his stomach. 'It'll probably always be strange' he thought and put his arm loosely around her shoulders.

And once again he got out a forced; "I'm happy for you Brooke."

---

**May**** 17****th**** 2013**

Lucas laughs awkwardly when thinking back to that night five and a half years ago. Haley has always been able to read him like an open book, and back then hadn't been an exception.

"God, Hales… you have no idea how weird that birthday-party was for me… I hardly talked to her at all. Not until the end, and we both know how good that turned out… It felt so strange."

He makes a funny face and she laughs at him. "You don't need to tell _me_ Luke. I was the one that tried to get the two of you into the same picture the entire afternoon…"

He hugs her again and for some reason all the memories from the last six years keep flooding over him. And as if she understands what he's thinking she softly says;

"It's been a long road Luke…"

---

**November 5****th**** 2008**

It took almost six months before he saw Brooke again. It wasn't that far from Tree Hill to New York, just a quick flight or a few hours by car, but being College-juniors were hectic. Although after that birthday-party they had at least kept in touch sporadically. And that was more than he could say about himself and Peyton. So at the end of that summer he broke things off with the curly blonde. It pained him to do so, because in a way he still felt responsible for her, but there was no use in trying.

He loved her but he wasn't _in_ love with her anymore, and sometimes he wondered if he ever had been. And one night, when he hadn't talked to Peyton for over two weeks, he simply called her up and asked her if there was any reason for them to keep pretending, and she actually sounded relieved when she said 'no'. They were still friends of course, but after that phone call he honestly felt like a whole new person. He felt free, and he couldn't other than be saddened by that, because he realized that it probably meant that he should have left Peyton a long time ago. Almost two years had been more than long enough.

Instead of his relationship, he concentrated on school and his book that he still tried to publish. He hung out with Nathan, Haley and sometimes Skills. Occasionally he called Brooke to talk a little. And one of those talks was what had landed him here, standing in the cold wind on the doorstep of Brooke's dorm.

He was in New York to talk to yet another publisher and Haley hadn't left him alone until he had called Brooke and arranged to meet her while he was in town. He had felt stupid at first, it wasn't like they were close anymore, but Brooke had actually sounded exited about seeing him.

It was still pretty early when he knocked on her door and it was opened by a sleepy looking, curvy blonde that looked surprisingly much like Rachel Gattina.

"Hey cutie…" she said and quirked an eyebrow at him. "You must be looking for Brooke."

"Yeah" he answered a little hesitantly, not sure if he should introduce himself. "I'm Lucas. Is she here?"

"I guess not, but I'm sure she'll be right back. This is her usual running-time." She yawned and stepped back to make way for him to come in to the apartment. "Come on in and wait if you like. I'm on my way to class."

He followed the blonde girl, that he still didn't know the name of, into the small living room and sat down at the edge of the couch. The Rachel-lookalike disappeared in through one of the doors to what seemed to be a bedroom, and he looked around. It was more of an apartment then a college dorm room and he guessed that Brooke paid much more than the average student. It was nicely furnished too, in light colors that made the space seem even bigger.

Just minutes later Brooke's roommate came back out, now with the cell phone to her ear, talking fast and loud. "She'll be here. Just wait" she mouthed to him and he nodded in return before she disappeared out through the door.

And then he was alone in the home of Brooke Davis.

For a few minutes he sat there, just waiting, but then he stood up, to curious to pass on the opportunity of finding out more about his ex-girlfriend's new life. Walking around, he looked at all the framed photos and other memorabilia. He found the kitchen, sneak-peaked into Brooke's bedroom which was full of mannequins and parts of colored fabric, and then he opened the door to the bathroom, thinking that he might as well use it while he waited. Freshen up a bit after the long trip.

It wasn't until he was halfway in there that he realized somebody was in the shower. Blushing like a schoolgirl he covered his eyes and started stuttering out apologies.

"Uhm… I'm sorry… I, I didn't know that… uhm…"

But it was a little late. He had already seen her. Brooke was standing in the tub, not at all covered by the clear plastic curtain. She was shampooing her hair and the shower was turned off which was probably the reason to why he hadn't heard her. And to be honest he didn't regret one bit that he had walked in on this. Brooke was obviously annoyed by the intrusion, but she was also stunningly beautiful. And of course naked…

"Lucas Scott!" she barked at him, without trying to hide her naked body. "Can't you knock, huh?"

And that's when he started laughing. The irony in the situation was far too humorous for him to stay serious or even embarrassed. She had turned the water back on and he reached his hand in under the streaming water and felt the temperature.

"Well Brooke Penelope Davis…" he said with a mocking voice. "Are you taking a cold shower?"

Her angry face fell and was replaced with an embarrassed blush.

"No, I… it's not like I was…"

He just smirked and walked backwards, not being able to stop looking at her. And before he turned and disappeared back out into the living room he laughed and said;

"Whatever Brooke… next wet-dream, tell your boyfriend I said hello…"

-

An hour later they were sitting comfortably in a café down the street from her college campus. Brooke was of course dressed now. Dark jeans, knitted polo-sweater, the usual make-up. But in his head he kept getting flashes of her naked and it wierded him out a little. Because during the last two years, it was that exact image that he had tried to forget.

They talked about school, his book, her Victoria's secret fashion-line. About her mom suddenly popping up out of nowhere wanting to be a parent, and about how big Lily had gotten. The talked about James, the New York weather and his basketball coaching-job, but during all of this he only thought about her smooth creamy skin, her delicate collarbones, her curves and those long legs…

"Luke!"

He jumped a little in the plush armchair in which he was sitting, and met her eyes.

"What?"

"Are you listening to me? You seem a little spaced out."

"Uhm no… I'm listening, you shouldn't be forced to park four blocks away…I agree."

He shook his head a little to clear his foggy mind and tried to concentrate on the clothed Brooke in front of him instead of the imaginary naked one. For some reason it was harder then he thought. And suddenly he found himself blurt out;

"I broke up with Peyton."

It must have seemed random because they hadn't talked about the curly blonde at all. And even though Brooke had asked him what was new in his life, and the news of him and Peyton breaking up was pretty big, he hadn't said anything. He had just not been sure how to bring it up. Peyton had always been a sore point between Brooke and himself, or as Brooke would have expressed it; Peyton was always the everlasting 'monkey' in the room with them. Maybe it was some kind of syntax error in his brain but the sight of a naked Brooke and the feelings it evoked, made him think of David. And the thought of Brooke's boyfriend made him think of Peyton, or in this case the lack of her. Brooke was spoken for and he was single.

Either way he had been sure that Peyton had told Brooke herself by now, but she obviously hadn't because Brooke looked back at him with a stunned expression and he realized that he had probably interrupted her right in the middle of a sentence."Why?" she asked blankly and he cleared his throat to win some time.For some odd reason he wanted to tell her that he never really had fallen in love with Peyton, but he realized how weird that would sound, especially since he knew how hurt Brooke had been by it all. So he settled for simpler explanations. "We never see each other anymore, hardly even talk on the phone... On some days I even forgot that I had a girlfriend..." He laughed awkwardly and Brooke gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry Luke... I know how you felt about her.""No it's okay" he said, looking down into the table's surface and feeling guilty as if he had been caught with lying. "I guess... I guess we just fell out of love."At least that was closer to the truth.

-

The coffee cups had been empty for a long time and the morning had become late afternoon. They had been laughing so much that his jaw was aching, and it almost felt like old times, when they could sit in his room for hours and just laugh at silly things. Minus all the making out of course. This time there was none of that.

They didn't talk much more about Peyton. Brooke asked him a couple of questions but when he just huffed and mumbled in response, she gave up. And soon they were back to discussing worldlier things.

His stomach was making hungry noises and he was just about to ask Brooke if they should maybe move to a restaurant and grab some food. But he was interrupted by the bell above the coffee-shop door. Over Brooke's shoulder he saw a tall dark-haired guy, about 25 years old, who scanned the café as if in search for someone. Well built, nice clothes, good looking, even Lucas had to admit that, and a sudden bad feeling came over him.

Just like he had suspected the guy lit up when seeing Brooke and he walked over with a big smile on his face.

"Hi baby…" he said and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I've tried to call you..."

So this was the boyfriend, he thought, and he felt himself unconsciously frown.

Brooke turned her face upwards and pulled the tall guy down to her level, pressing a smiling kiss on his lips.

"Sorry David" she murmured sugary and Lucas' stomach tightened up into a knot. "I've been sitting here all day, and I guess we just lost track of time."

It was easy to see that this guy was as mesmerized by Brooke as every other male person on the planet and it irritated him that the guy just kept staring at her breasts instead of on her face. If this was that David-guy, then they had been seeing each other for almost nine months. Shouldn't he have gotten over the staring phase by now?

"This is Lucas, baby. He's an old friend from Tree Hill... Luke, this is David. My boyfriend."

Lucas stiffened in his seat. Old friend? Was that how she saw him? It just sounded so estranged…

David finally looked up and met his eyes, wide smile covering his face and showing off bright white teeth. He reached his hand out in an effort to make a proper greeting and he had a childish urge to just ignore it. But he didn't since he still had some manors.

"Hi David. Nice to meet you…"

"Yeah man, you too. I heard a lot about that little town of yours. And it's nice to meet one of Brooke's friends. I mean, I've only met Haley and Rachel so far, but I'm looking forward on getting to know everyone else."

"Aha… Yeah well Brooke's not home that often so I guess that'll take some time, right?"

He had to struggle not to let the sarcasm seep through in his voice and he couldn't have been all too successful because Brooke shot him a hurt glance, yet he kept going.

"I mean, did you meet Chase? Brooke's ex? He never really made it into our little circle of friends but I'm sure you'll succeed better. Or do you skateboard too?"

David shook his head, looking confused, and in the corner of his eye Lucas could see Brooke making an 'I'll kill you'-face towards him.

He wasn't even sure himself why he acted like a jealous fourteen year old. The white-teethed guy just got on his nerves. Even though David had hardly even opened his mouth Lucas had already decided that this guy was an idiot and that he would never be good enough for Brooke. He just seemed to be the same kind of slimeball that that Nick-character had been in high school.

And when David's hand lazily travelled higher and higher on Brooke's jeans-clad leg he just couldn't control himself.

"I'm out of here" he said, breaking David off in mid-sentence while he told Brooke about something that had happened at work. "I need to get back to my hotel."

He picked up his things and leaned over to give Brooke a goodbye hug but her response was weak. He kissed her forehead out of old habit and tried to wave off the guilt he felt when he saw the hurt in her eyes that his behaviour caused.

So for her sake he recollected himself and faked a smile as he turned to David. He extended his hand and like a good boy he said; "It was nice to meet you David. I'm sure I'll see you around" even though he hoped on the exact opposite.

And then he left the café, and he didn't turn although he still felt Brooke's disappointed eyes boring into his back.

The air outside was cold in that way it only got in New York and the wind whipped his cheeks. He drove his hands down deep into his pockets and instead of hailing a cab he pulled his bag higher up on his shoulder and started walking in the down-town direction.

He needed the time to think.

And she only wanted him to like David too. At least to give him a chance, because for some reason it seemed like He had behaved like a jerk, there was no question about that, and he already felt bad about it. It had been so evident on Brooke's smile when David stepped in through the door that she really liked this guy. Brooke needed his approval in order to finally move on for real, and what he had done was the exact opposite.

He pulled the collar up on his jacket and kept walking, picking up pace as he went. And he still wondered why he felt so angry.

-

Later that night he got a call from Brooke on his cell. He lay sprawled out on the hotel couch watching old Friends-reruns and he didn't even check the caller-id before he answered.

"What the hell was that Luke?" she said as soon as he had picked up. "Why were you acting like a jerk?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Brooke. I thought we had a nice time today."

Of course he knew what she meant, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. And she huffed as a response.

"We did! At least up until David joined us. What happened, huh? You just decided that you were allowed to treat him like crap?"

He sighed as if he thought she was over-reacting but in honesty he just didn't know what to say. He shifted on the couch and felt the green monster inside him resurface again. She just didn't understand that he was looking out for her.

"You deserve better than him…" he mumbled. "I just don't like him…"

He knew that he was probably not in the right place to say these things, Brooke and himself had just recently regained contact, but he didn't know what else to do than to be honest. Obviously she didn't see it his way and her voice was raised when she answered;

"I don't care what you think! Because I _really_ like him Lucas. And if you can't even make an effort to be nice then I don't need you around me. I was even happy for you and _Peyton_, however hard it was for me. I found you two in bed, god damn it! Less than two months after you and I had broken up, I might add. And you didn't see me act like an idiot, did you?!"

"No…but…"

She didn't let him finish. As usual her anger was quick and fiery and she impatiently cut him off.

"God, how stupid am I? Little old me actually thought that you were my friend now and that you were past those ego-trips of yours… But I guess I was wrong."

She was silent for a couple of seconds and he listened to her fast breathing, thinking about all the times that she had yelled at him in passionate anger when they were together.

Then she said; "Goodbye Lucas…" and all that he was left listening to was the tone on the line after she hung up.

---

* * *

That was the first part. Review and the second part will be up much faster :) 

/Lynn


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you all for the lovely reviews. This is the second part;

* * *

**- **

**YOU LOOK GOOD IN MY SHIRT**

**- **

**May 17th 2013**

"Do you remember when Brooke dated that guy David?" he asks Haley and she nods.

"Of course. They did date for a year…"

"Do you know what made them break up?"

"I don't know… You never asked her?" She looks at him and he shrugs, thinking that it doesn't really matter now anyway.

---

**December 24th 2009**

During the twelve months that followed after their quick meeting in New York he only saw Brooke once and that was on James' second birthday. She was there with David and he kept away from them as much as he could because much to his disappointment everybody seemed to love Brooke's tall dark boyfriend.

Although shortly after he heard from Haley that they had split up and of course he wondered why, but by then it felt too awkward to call her. They were supposed to be _friends_, and if he hadn't called her for six months because he couldn't be happy for her and her boyfriend, then why would he now? How would he explain the silence?

And then it was suddenly Halloween and a whole year had passed. He often wondered how she was though. If she met someone new, if she still liked school, if she was happy… Sometimes he just wondered if she ever thought about him.

He thought about calling her and as Christmas was approaching he even bought her a Christmas-card. But he never got around to sending it.

The annual Christmas party at his mom's café had been prepared for weeks. His mother and Deb, who was finally back in the business, had worked double shifts to get everything in order and now he walked around with two and a half year old Lily on his hip and admired all the decorations. Through the eyes of his little sister all the glitter and ornaments seemed even more beautiful.

Haley was hanging last minute lights in the windows and James played with a train at her feet.

His best friend was up on the ladder and he heard her say to her son; "Look Jamie, here comes your favorite auntie, and she's baring gifts…"

He looked up and was surprised to see Brooke stepping out of a car across the street. He waited a couple of seconds to see if she was alone and she was. No David or other guy for that matter.

He watched her as she stepped carefully between the small piles of snow on the sidewalk and he laughed on the inside. Brooke Davis, always the true fashionista. It was probably not more then ten degrees outside and she still wore pumps and beneath her coat he could see bare legs. She had to be freezing her ass off.

"Hales…" he said with a faked cheery voice not to make Lily and James confused. "What is Brooke doing here?"

Haley looked back at him innocently. "Your mom invited her. We didn't want her to be all alone in the big apple on Christmas. You didn't know?"

"Sure. It obviously just slipped my mind."

His voice was dripping with sarcasm but Haley didn't seem to care. Instead she climbed down from the ladder and skipped over to open the front door to welcome her friend. "Grow up Luke. We' don't have to ask your permission" she said before pushing down the door handle. "If your mom or I want to invite her it's totally up to us."

Seconds later the cold air seeped into the café and Brooke stepped inside. She smiled brightly his way but he could feel the tension. But all that was forgotten when she took off her coat and revealed a beautiful red dress and he could literary feel his jaw drop to the floor.

She hugged Haley, kissed James, and then his mom came out of the kitchen and spread her arms widely towards his ex.

"Sweetie! We've missed you sooo much!"

"Oh Karen, I've missed you too!"

The two dark haired women hugged and he felt like an outsider once again. Even more so when Peyton came through the door and joined the hugging feast. "See…" Haley hissed at him mockingly and handed him James. "Everybody who stayed in touch knew…"

-

Dinner was a joyous event. Haley and Nathan brought the happy news that they were expecting a second child and asked Mouth and Peyton to be godparents. Mouth became so happy that he overdosed on the dessert-wine and had to be driven home by Rachel even before they cleared the table. And after the dishes were done more people seemed to join the party. Brooke mostly hung out around his mom, Haley, Rachel or the kids, but she took her time to hang out with Nathan, Bevin and Peyton too. She stayed clear of him, kind of like she had on James and Lily's 2nd birthday party, but around nine, when the kids were sleeping and the eggnog had made everyone a little tipsy, she came up to him in the kitchen.

"Hey Broody… are you avoiding me?"

He looked back at her all perplexed. "Me? No Brooke… you… you're the one that's been avoiding me."

She shook her head. And then she reached into her purse and pulled out a small but beautifully giftwrapped package.

"Here" she said and handed it to him. For a moment she even looked a bit shy, and he smiled and took it from her.

"You got me a gift? But I didn't buy you anything… I didn't even know you were coming tonight…"

She smiled crookedly as if saying 'how could you have known, we haven't talked in a year' and then she said; "I tried calling you a couple of weeks ago but you didn't pick up…"

They were both silent for a while and he fiddled with the strings to the gift. He hadn't meant to let them grow distant again. It was just that it had been so hard to watch her with David, and it wasn't supposed to be. He should let her move on, just like he himself had done, and it hadn't felt fair to her to hold her back when she was happy with someone. There would never be anything romantic between them again, and his stupid jealousy had just ruined things for her, right? Yet he couldn't help feeling that he had made the wrong choice now when being this close to her. If he had kept his mouth shut then he wouldn't have gone a whole year without seeing her.

"I missed you" he said silently. "I just thought that maybe it was better that I just gave you some space."

"A years worth of it…"

"I'm sorry." He looked down into the floor, feeling the awkwardness between them grow bigger by the second. "I heard you're doing well though. With the new internship and all… Haley said you got mentioned in Vouge."

"Well that's nothing. But congratulations on the book-deal. Peyton said you'll finally get it published. In March, right?"

He nodded and smiled, secretly happy that she still kept herself updated on his life. He still held her tiny Christmas present and she made a gesture urging him to open it. Carefully he unwrapped it and inside of the paper was a small box. He opened the lid and looked inside. Two beautiful cufflinks was sitting on a velvet bed and on each of them it said 'Broody'.

"I can't take these…" he mumbled. "This is _way_ too much Brooke."

She ignored his remark, grabbed his right hand and held it in hers as she took out the cufflink he was wearing and switching it to one of the ones she had bought.

"I want you to have these. I want you to wear them and to remember that we were friends first and foremost Lucas. Before we dated we were actually friends, and I don't want that to end."

He swallowed and looked into her green eyes, flecked with brown and gold. Eyes that he had gotten lost in so many times in the past, and with the reflection in them of the all the colored lights in the other room, she looked like a Christmas angel.

"It wont… I was just being stupid. And then I was too stubborn and chicken to call you and say that I had messed up…"

He could see her eyes drift up towards the ceiling and he followed her gaze. Right above them, from the top of the archway, a mistletoe was hanging, tied up with a red ribbon.

"You know what that means right?" he asked softly and she smiled shyly.

"Yeah… when under a mistletoe one has to kiss… Anything else is bad luck…"

Slowly, like in a movie, he leaned forward and he could see Brooke close her eyes. Usually he would have closed his too, but for some reason he didn't want to leave any of his senses out of this.

He pressed his lips on hers ever so gently and instantly the memory of every kiss they ever shared came back to him full force. Her lips didn't taste strawberry lipgloss anymore, instead they tasted a little minty, but they felt the same. Full, soft and perfect.

It was over in just a couple of seconds and he hadn't touched her other than her hand that was still placed inside his, yet he felt himself grow warm and his pulse sky-rocketed.

"Brooke…" he started, but she squeezed his hand and placed one more butterfly kiss on his lips before pulling back.

"Thanks Luke. Thanks for being my friend… We've always been best as just friends, don't you think?" She looked back up at the mistletoe. "That way we'll always have each other."

---

**May 17th 2013**

"Sometimes I wonder how you even get out of bed in the morning" Haley says and breaks his daydreaming. "I mean it's hard to understand sometimes that you ever got into UNC with that brain…"

"Huh?" he answers confused and leans down to pick up the basketball that's bouncing towards him, before throwing it back to the kids on the court.

Haley sighs in faked annoyance. "I know that face Luke. You're thinking about the Christmas party, right? When you finally decided that you and Brooke would never make sense again. And as I said, it's a mystery to me how you can be so stupid at times, when at other times you're like the smartest person I know."

He laughs now. Pulling his fingers through his short hair before answering; "No actually _Tutor_-_mom_, that would be you. I don't think that'll ever change."

Haley sticks her tongue out at him and laughs too. "Seriously though Lucas. How did you figure that out? You and Brooke where both single for the first time in ages. You obviously still had feelings for her since you acted like the jealous boyfriend if she as much looked at someone else. And then you guys kissed… which, if I understood it correctly, pretty much made you decide that she _didn't_ want you? Don't you hear how stupid that sounds?"

He laughs louder and shoves Haley playfully.

"Come on Hales, you know what she said after that kiss. How would you have interpreted that?"

"Well not the way you did anyway… _I_ know Brooke and _I_ would have taken into consideration that you had broken her heart like a gazillion times already."

"Yeah but…"

His best friend just looks at him like if saying 'you know I'm right' and he shuts up and nods.

"You should have understood that you needed to prove yourself. And here's another one of those stupid-streaks of yours… instead of doing that, you once again let her go back to New York confused as hell. And then you went to Bevin's New Year-party and you meet Lindsey…"

Although it has been three and a half years he still feels strange when she says it like that and he looks away at the trees in the distance instead of at her face.

"I didn't really plan for that to happen… And what did you want me to do? Wait for Brooke for ever?"

Haley clears her throat in a meaning way and he knows she's waiting for him to regain eye contact with her. When he does she says; "Well, wouldn't that have been better?"

Feeling stupid he just mumbles; "I guess…"

---

**March 11th 2010**

Three months. He had dated Lindsey for three months and he still wasn't sure what kept him from making it official. Like a teenager afraid of commitment he kept saying to Nathan, Haley and his mother that he and Lindsey were just friends, even though she had practically lived in his apartment for weeks now.

They hung out every day after she finished work, and on the weekends she didn't leave to go home at all. When he was busy writing she entertained herself, and she made sure he ate and slept, which he otherwise forgot when he was all up in his new book. They had kind of fallen into a nice little routine and if he pretended that he wasn't lying about his relationship with her to his family, then he could actually say that he was happy.

And then he was forced to confront it all, because late a Thursday evening in mid March the phone rang. He had been in the shower and he heard the faint sound through the bathroom door. But when he came out into the living room Lindsey had already answered and he heard her go; "No, he's in the shower… May I ask who's calling?"

He wrapped the towel tighter around his hips and went out to the kitchen. Lindsey seemed to have it covered and he was tired from writing all day and didn't want to get stuck on the phone. But then his girlfriend went; "Brooke Davis? So… you're _that_ Brooke, huh?"

He froze. He couldn't even remember telling Lindsey about Brooke. He had introduced her to Peyton, since Peyton was in town pretty often and lying about that would have been silly. But Peyton was a closed chapter. For some reason Brooke was different.

He hurried back into the living room but just as he walked up behind Lindsey, she hung up.

"Was that Brooke?" he asked and Lindsey turned and gave him a funny look.

"Yes, that was your _ex-girlfriend_, the famous fashion-newbie. Why didn't you tell me you dated her? You know I read her fashion-pointers in Cosmo every week. I even wear her victories secret-line."

Actually he had no idea about the Cosmo-thing, and he was kind of glad that he hadn't known about the underwear because knowing that Brooke had designed what Lindsey's wore to bed would just have been plain awkward. To be honest he didn't take much time to find out what Lindsey liked or didn't like, not like he had done with Brooke or Peyton. When he met her at Bevin's big New Years happening he had thought that dating this girl could evolve into something pretty serious, but for some reason it fell flat. He liked her and all, but late at night he felt like his heart wasn't really into it and maybe that was the cause of his sudden commitment-issue. Either way, he realized that he hadn't wanted Brooke to know that Lindsey existed, and now that cover was blown.

"Did she want me to call her back?" he asked, ignoring her question. "Did she leave a number?"

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "No, she just said to say hi."

Unconsciously he glanced at the cordless phone in her hand and he was pretty sure she saw him look because she rolled her eyes and gave it to him. "Dinner's ready in five. Just push star and it'll redial the last number…"

He started stuttering something but she just shook her head and went back out into the kitchen. And he looked down on the phone in his hand, wondering why Brooke had called and if she was mad. He didn't push star, instead he took the phone with him into the bedroom, and while he got dressed he dialled Haley's number.

"Hey buddy" she answered on the second signal. "I was just on my way to put James down for a nap. Can I call you back?"

He bit his lip and thought for a second. "Okay Hales… Just tell me, do you know why Brooke would call me?"

"She called you?"

Sounding by the surprise in Haley's voice he knew something was up. He tried sounding like it wasn't a biggie when he answered; "Yeah, just now… but I was in the shower."

"And she said something on your answering-machine?"

It was half a question, half a comment. Like as if Haley wanted him to say that this had been the case, and he stalled for a couple of seconds.

"Uhm… no… Actually Lindsey answered the call. Apparently Brooke just wanted to say 'hi'."

His best friend sighed on the other end. "Sure…"

"What Hales?"

He could see her clearly, rolling her eyes and making faces.

"Okay Luke, I might be pregnant and a little hormonal, but that just wasn't very smart of you… I told you a million times that you should tell Brooke about dating Lindsey. This way she'll think we've all been lying to her. Including you! Especially now…"

Haley actually sounded pissed off and he instantly started defending himself. "What do you mean with 'especially now'? I'm NOT dating Lindsey. I told you that already. We're just friends."

"Friends that's practically living together? And that's screwing each other? Come on Lucas. I'm not stupid you know. Pregnant, yes. Clueless, no! But you seem to be. Have you totally forgotten that your book has been out in the stores since the day before yesterday?"

She huffed angrily and he could hear James fuzzing in the background. "Listen" she continued. "I have to tend to my son. And you have to call your ex and explain to her that you're an idiot." Then she plainly hung up in his ear.

Confused he stood with the phone in his hand for a couple of minutes. He knew that Haley was a little temperamental these days, being eight months pregnant and having a wild almost three year old running around her legs. But this was still too much. He didn't have to explain his decisions to Brooke, or to anyone else for that matter. She wasn't his girlfriend and she had made it very clear that she wanted nothing else than to be friends with him.

And he didn't want anything else either. So why was he so worried then? And why hadn't he just told her?

Brooke was busy in New York nowadays and it was hard getting a hold of her in between fashion-shows and meetings, but he talked to her now and again, mostly about things concerning his mom, Lily or James. And not once during these calls had he mentioned having a new girl in his life.

He dropped the towel down on the floor and stood naked in front of the closet. Wondering for himself why he was being such a coward. And when he felt Lindsey's arms wrapping around him he huffed and pulled away.

"What's wrong baby?" she said and he rolled his eyes and looked up into the ceiling. He didn't want her to call him baby right now, or to touch him for that matter.

Still annoyed he pulled a pair of shorts out of his drawer and he could feel her hurt eyes boring into his back. Silently she said; "Lucas…" but he pulled a hoody over his head and took out his ipod from his desk.

"I'm going for a run."

"But you just showered? And dinner's ready…"

He shoved the earplugs into his ears and pushed play. "I'm not hungry anymore."

And as he started running down the street towards the river he wondered what had been the reason for Brooke calling him in the first place. He remembered what Haley had said about his book, but that couldn't be the reason, could it? First of all, Brooke was way too busy, and even though she had known that it would be released in March there was no way in hell that she would've gotten the time to read it already.

Secondly, even if she had, he couldn't in his wildest dreams think that she had gotten all those hidden messages he put in there when he was still head over heals in love with her in high school.

He, and maybe Haley, were the only ones that new about those…

---

**May 17th 2013**

"You never broke it off with Lindsey, right? Not in words anyway…"

Haley watches the kids running back and forth on the court and she says it matter of factedly, as if she wants to make a point. And he can't help but smile at her stubbornness.

"What was there to break off? No matter what you all thought, we were never a couple…"

"Actually I think you're about fifty percent right in saying that. Lindsey was _definitely_ in a relationship with you, but you were never in one with her. At least not emotionally. Maybe that was why it didn't bother you at all to just phase her out."

"What do you mean? You make it sound like I was mean to her. And I wasn't."

"No, but you weren't really honest either. It took one phonecall from Brooke and you gave Lindsey the cold shoulder. I bet you didn't even call Lindsey when you came back from your book-tour."

"It was that obvious then?"

"Yeah."

He can feel himself actually blush a little. Just ignoring Lindsey hadn't been the smartest option, but he had just freaked out. So the most logical to do had seemed to just leave, and the tour had been a perfect opportunity. "You were the one that had to clean up my mess, weren't you?" he says and she giggles.

"Aren't I always? But I still can't believe that you missed Trey's birth…"

---

**April 20th 2010**

A ringing sound woke him up in the middle of the night and he fumbled to find his cell phone on the nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Lucas?"

It was Brooke's raspy voice on the line and he sat up, suddenly wide awake. It was pitch black in the hotel room and he kept fumbling to find the switch to the bedside lamp.

"Hi… Brooke, are you okay?" He found the switch and the room lit up, making him squint. "What time is it?"

There were a lot of noise in the background and he wondered where she was. Then he heard the sounds of ambulance sirens and he froze. Was she hurt?

"It's three thirty and I'm alright …" she said and he breathed out. "…but Haley is in labor… Where are you?"

He frowned and tried to wake up fully. His brain was still foggy with sleep and he couldn't get the dates straight.

"I'm in Boston…" he mumbled. "But isn't it just the 20th today? Haley isn't due for two more weeks."

Brooke huffed. "I know that, and you and _Haley_ know that, but the freaking baby hasn't gotten that memo, okay!"

She sounded annoyed but at the same a little scared and even though he should probably be more concerned with Haley's status right now, he just wanted to reach through the phone and hug Brooke, make her feel safe.

"Are you with Hales at the hospital?" he asked and she just hummed "yes' in response.

"And Nathan?"

"He's on his way. He was at an away game but he promised me he'd make it here on time… I can't deliver the baby Luke…"

By now her voice was trembling for real.

"Brooke baby…" he soothed. "The doctor will take care of that. And don't worry so much. Haley has done this before."

In the back of his head he knew that there were plenty of things that could go wrong, he knew that from experience after having been there when his mom gave birth to his sister. But from the way she sounded he didn't want her to get more upset.

"You want me to stay on the line?" he asked her softly. And when she said yes he leaned back against the pillows, but he didn't turn out the light.

They hung up two hours later, after Nathan had come in to the waitingroom and declared that the baby was a healthy beautiful baby-boy, and by then he found himself feeling sorry not that he'd missed the birth, but that he had missed the expression on Brooke's face when Nathan told her.

The dimples must have been enormous.

---

* * *

So that's it for part 2. Part 3 though will bring a lot more BL-interaction ;)

And again; THANK YOU so much for the reviews you guys. I can't help it... the more reviews the faster the update LOL

/Lynn


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: **I love how you guys have taken to this story and it seems to me like you understand what I'm trying to do with this. I'm so grateful for all the reviews. 

Here's some BL for you…

-

**YOU LOOK GOOD IN MY SHIRT**

**- **

**May 17****th**** 2013**

"Did you see Brooke when you came back from the tour?" Haley asks. Her forehead is wrinkled, as if she's trying hard to remember, and he shakes his head.

"No. She left a couple of days before I arrived."

The basketball comes shooting through the air again and he catches it mid-flight.

"Hey!" he shouts. "Be careful, okay?"

The sun is hanging just at the horizon now and the beginning sunset reminds him of another evening passed in this park. Their high school reunion.

"I saw her in July though…" he says and Haley's face turns into a wide smile. She must be remembering too.

---

**July 9****th**** 2011**

It was almost dinnertime and the sun was already sinking behind the trees down by the River court. Lucas smiled as he watched most of his old friends play around on the tarmac or over by the benches. Nathan and Fergie tried teaching James to shoot three-pointers and Mouth did commentary for old time sake. Haley sat beside Mouth, holding a sleeping Trey in her arms and Skills carried around his and Bevin's six months old son Antwon, who at the moment was bawling at the top of his lungs, while Bevin was talking vividly to Rachel. And he laughed to himself at the sight of how tired Rachel looked. In a way it felt like the old days. And then again it didn't…

He had looked forward to this reunion for months, but now, as he was standing here, he felt disappointed. It had been four years since they were all here the last time. Four years since they wrote their names on the ground. And the names were still there, even though they had faded around the edges. For a second he glanced at his own name, squeezed in next to Peyton's, and he thought about how young they had all been back then.

Now all of his friends were growing up. Bevin and Skills had a baby-boy and Haley and Nathan already had two. Mouth had finally met a girl, a blonde little thing from Arkansas that loved Mouth like crazy, and Peyton was starting up her own record label with some rock-dude named Jason that she had met on a tour. It also seemed like she was in contact with Jake again, because he had seen his old friend frequently in Tree Hill lately and today they didn't stray far from each other.

All his friends were around him and he still felt lonely.

The last four years had taught him a lot about life. It had been a long road to where he was now, finally cashing in on his first novel, and when looking back it had all been worth it. Except for maybe one thing...

He was brought out of his thoughts by James' high-pitched squeal of delight and he turned to see what the little boy was up to. But before he could figure it out, someone's hands covered his eyes and a raspy voice whispered in his ear; "Guess who…"

He started to rattle off names as if he really didn't know who the girl behind him was, but his subconscious would have recognized her anywhere. If not by that raspy voice, then it would have been by her scent or the sound of her heals clicking against the tarmac.

She laughed, a more mature sound than her usual teenage giggle, and he knew she saw right through his scheme. He let out a sigh and smiled.

"Okay, it's Brooke…"

He had never been able to fool her.

And then she took her hands off his eyes and he turned around. The sight of her hit him like a sucker-punch in the belly and he took a deep breath. She didn't look at all like the Brooke he remembered. She looked like a fashion model, straight from the glossy pages of a trendy magazine.

"Wow…" he breathed out, before he had the chance to stop himself. "You look… uhm… amazing…"

He waited for her classic 'I know' or 'Don't I always?' but instead she smiled and calmly said 'thank you'. It was true though, she looked stunning. Her hair was the color of dark chocolate and in a shorter haircut that framed her face. She looked a little thinner, and there was something about her eyes. He must have been staring because suddenly she bursted out in laughter and her beautiful dimples showed on her cheeks, deep like always.

God, he had missed seeing those.

"How have you been?" she asked softly and touched his arm.

He swallowed deeply. To be honest he hadn't thought she'd show up tonight. They had all been here for a couple of hours already and when Haley admitted that she hadn't heard from Brooke in weeks he told himself not to get his hopes up. Lately he had read about Brooke in all the big magazines and he knew that her company was a hit. He had just told himself that this little Tree Hill-reunion was a low priority for her.

And now she stood here in front of him, looking like she never planned on being anywhere else. But before he had the chance to answer her question, or to hug her or ask her how she had been, all the girls came rushing up and dragged her away from him.

He watched her hug Bevin and Haley, coo over the babies, admire Peyton's new haircut and tease Rachel. And he finally felt like the reunion was as it should be. Finally it felt like home.

-

Hours later most of the others had gone home and as if it was the most natural thing in the world Brooke hooked her arm into his and they started walking.

They ended up in his mother's abandoned café talking away the hours like there wouldn't be a tomorrow. And the longer they talked, the more they laughed, the more he wondered what the hell had ever gone wrong between them. Of course, he knew the official answer to that question. He had made the mistake of going for Peyton when Brooke told him to. And back then it had seemed like the logical thing to do. He had after all had feelings for the curly blonde once, and he thought that he had owed it to both himself and Peyton to see if those feelings were still there.

But now, years later, he weren't so sure anymore.

It had been a long time and a lot had happened in both their lives since they had last really talked to each other. Her fashionline was thriving and when she talked about creating her eyes lit up like twinkling stars. But almost in the same breath she told him how tired she was of the big city, of being alone in a sea of people where no one really knew her, and how much she missed being surrounded by her friends.

As she spoke the last words he subconsciously hit himself over the head for not checking in on her more. He had seen her over the years, but not more than a few times. James' first and second birthday, in New York and hastily that second Christmas. But in the last year and a half he hadn't seen her once. Because when Trey was born and for James third birthday he had been on a book-tour, and this year Brooke had been in LA on some major fashion-event. At least that was what Haley and Nathan told him. They both, as well as Mouth, kept in tight contact with Brooke. Which made it all even more awkward since he saw them all a lot, and Brooke apparently did too. The only conclusion to all this was that she, Brooke Penelope Davis, had still been avoiding his company.

Although tonight was different. Tonight she had chosen his company above everyone else.

She told him she had visited Peyton earlier that spring and that Jake's and Peyton's relationship wasn't as new as he had thought. Apparently they had seen each other for a couple of months already and he guessed that was the explanation to the blonde being so happy.

She told him how bad she felt for not seeing James enough and for hardly ever calling Rachel. And she told him funny stories about the fashion industry and about being almost-famous and he in turn told her that his second book was up for release.

But then she said something that made his jaw drop.

"I've bought this place from your mom…"

-

It took him a while to melt the information. The café had always been like a second home to him and when Brooke told him she had bought it to make it into a clothing-store it just felt weird. But the more he thought about it the better it felt. His mom had let the café go for a reason. She wanted to have more time with Lily and with the life-insurance money after Keith, she had the opportunity to open a catering business instead. This way she didn't have to work nights or even work every day.

And if she was letting the café go, then he was happy that it was to someone he knew. Someone his mom loved and trusted.

"I wonder why she didn't tell me…" he said and sipped some coffee. There was still an espresso machine left on the counter and he had made them chocolate macciatos just for old time sake.

"I don't know. Maybe she was worried you'd be mad."

She shrugged as emphasis and he smiled to take away the worry that was spreading on her beautiful face.

"I'm glad it's you Brooke" he said and took another sip. "And maybe I'll get to see more of you when you have a store here? You'll have to manage it, right? Look after it once in a while?"

His voice sounded hopeful and she smiled too. He looked around, trying his hardest to imagine how this place would look with Brooke's designs hanging on racks around the room. The counter they were sitting at would be gone of course, and she'd probably tear down the kitchen in the back and make it into a storage or something, but for some reason it didn't feel as bad as he thought it would. Especially when she answered;

"Of course. I bought it because I really miss this place…"

She winked at him and just that little gesture made him warm inside.

"I've missed you Brooke. I've missed having you home."

---

**August 15****th**** 2011**

During the two weeks that followed they hung out frequently and he watched her run her contractors like a true boss. She pampered them when it was called for, pushed them on when they weren't working as they should, and when they left at night he watched her work on designs for her line.

Several times he told her that she worked too hard but she just laughed it off and told him that it was the only way she'd make it. He didn't believe that though, Brooke Davis would probably make it big anyways, she was that amazing.

He brought her dinner a couple of times and she seemed genuinely grateful, not only for the food but for the company, and he realized that there where nowhere he'd rather be.

This Tuesday was no exception. He should be home writing but instead he had promised her to help her get the massive amount of paint that the painters needed in order to have the place done on time. And when he picked her up outside of her hotel at nine in the morning he instinctively knew it was about to be a good day. There was just something in the air. Brooke didn't seem to agree though. She looked tired and irritated and she just waved to him while talking loudly into her cell phone headset.

But however tired or stressed out she was, she still looked adorable. Tiny denim shorts that made him have to concentrate not to stare at her ass, a white loose top and hair in a sloppy bun.

She climbed into his car and he couldn't help feeling as if they were in a time machine. Him picking her up at her door and them going off on some crazy adventure. And that the adventure at hand was only trip to the store to buy paint didn't really matter. He was happy just to hang out with her.

But it didn't really turn out the way he thought. They found the paint, and loads of it too, but when he dropped her off at the store that was once his moms café, none of the painters had arrived. Brooke made a couple of quick calls and five minutes later the adventure seemed to be over. The contractors Brooke had hired were on strike.

"Damn it" she muttered and shoved her phone back into her purse. "How the hell will I have the store finished on time now? The schedule was tight as it was…"

He hated seeing her disappointed. He always had. So without thinking he opened his mouth and said;

"Lets just paint it ourselves."

She just looked at him as if he was crazy and her left eyebrow shot up in that way he loved.

"You _do_ know that it's like 150 square meters, right?"

"Yeah, but there are two of us here… I mean, how hard can it be?"

He shrugged and smiled at her. And she smiled back.

"You're nuts" she said and the smile turned into pearly laughter. "But I'm in… Let's do it Broody."

-

Three hours later she wasn't laughing anymore. She had spent most of the time they had been painting talking in her cell, and at four o'clock she looked drained and irritated. If it wasn't someone from her office calling her, then it was one of her suppliers or a journalist, and he finally got tired of seeing her looking so stressed out. So when she hung up on the fifth call within the last twenty minutes he promptly took the phone right out of her hand and dropped it into one of the big buckets of paint.

"Oops…" he said and smiled innocently. "Slippery little sucker…"

"Lucas!" she scolded but he simply pushed his bottom lip out, mimicking the pout she used to make back when they dated, and she couldn't keep a straight face. "That was a reporter on the line."

"So?"

"So? She wanted me to come down for an interview…"

"Well, I need you _here_." He handed her the paintbrush that she'd put down earlier and raised his eyebrow teasingly. "Unless you asked me to help you out, just so that you wouldn't have to paint at all?"

-

Another two hours later they were finally done and Brooke had found them cold beers in a freezer that was still working out back. Tired from a whole day of hard work they both sat down on the floor between all the half-full buckets of paint and he took a sip and watched her. She sat Indian style across from him and he suddenly noticed that they had paint everywhere. She had it on her designer clothes, on her arms and on her face. But when he pointed it out, she just laughed and took a swig of her beer. For the first time in weeks it seemed like she didn't have a worry in the world. A far stretch from the stressed out girl she had been when she first came back to Tree Hill.

"I hate this top anyways" she said and pulled at the hem of her shirt to see how bad the stains were. "I'll just throw away once I get back to the hotel."

"You can't stay in a hotel forever Brooke. Isn't it time you got a place here? I mean now that you have a store here and everything…"

She shrugged. "I thought about it. But then Carrie would have to take over for me in New York and I'm not sure she's ready for that."

"But you said it yourself pretty girl… You feel more at home here, you're happy here."

He didn't realize that he had used the old nickname until it had already rolled off his tongue and he could see the slight tension that came over her face.

"Hey…" he said softly, "at least it would be cheaper than staying at the Hilton."

He wanted to tell her to come live with him. He had the room, and they had lived together before back in highschool and managed to keep it on a friends-basis. But when seeing her tense up like that he guessed that she'd take that offer badly.

She nodded and the smile was back on her face. "Yeah, I guess… But the money is not really a problem. It's more that it lacks that homey feeling. I miss my New York apartment, where I could throw things around me and it stayed that way…" She was silent for a bit and then she frowned.

"They're not even gonna let me into the Hilton lobby looking like this…"

"You look beautiful."

God, what was with him today? It seemed like every time he opened his mouth he sounded like a lovesick puppy. This time she didn't tense up though, she just laughed and splatted some paint his way making him let out a 'Hey!' and a laugh of his own.

"Paint war!" she shouted and quickly got up on her feet. He was up seconds later and grabbed her around the waist, tickling her until she dropped the brush. His hands were covered in the cerise color they had used and he slid them down her arms, making long sticky paint trails.

"Oh no you don't!" she laughed. "Stop it Lucas!"

But he couldn't. Frankly he didn't want to stop. The feeling of having her laughing in his arms was far too great. Instead he held her closer.

"Who is the nicest guy you know?" he teased and she squirmed in his grip.

"You are!"

"And who is the most handsome?"

She laughed so hard now that she had trouble breathing and when she didn't answer he grabbed the dropped paintbrush and held it to her face. "Tell me. Who is the most handsome guy you know?"

"Lucas Scott!"

"See…" he smirked and let her go. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

He turned to grab his beer but just seconds later he felt the cold sticky paint splash against his back. He gasped. "Brooke, what the hell!"

She had just thrown half a paint-bucket over him and he could feel it seep through his shirt. Her eyes glistened with mischief and he tried to contain his laughter.

"You are so dead…" he hissed playfully and charged forward, bringing her down with him on the floor. Paint was everywhere and they slid around in it, both of them trying to win the tickling fight. She kept laughing, telling him 'stop!' and 'you win!', and finally he had her pinned down under him. They were inches apart and he could feel her chest rising and falling against his own. Her tongue shot out and licked her bottom lip and he watched it in amazement, never wanting to kiss her as badly as he did in that moment. If he just bent his head down a couple of centimetres, her lips would be meeting his. He moved a little closer, ever so slowly, and her green eyes stared up at him. But then his cell phone rang in his pocket and broke the spell. Brooke looked away.

The moment was over.

-

She followed him to his house, to use his shower and borrow a sweater that wasn't drenched in paint, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. That 'almost-kiss' had made him weak in the knees in a way he couldn't explain and now he just couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Or maybe it was just the alcohol that clogged his brain. The four or five beers he had back at her store made all his senses a little foggy and her giggling told him she was probably a little tipsy too. And when she headed in the direction of his bathroom he wanted nothing but to follow her.

"Where do you keep your towels?" she asked and he realized that she was already unzipping her jeans, comfortable enough in his company not to care. And just like when they were high school kids he blushed a little and looked away even though there was no need.

"They're in a cupboard next to the bathtub… Come on, I'll show you."

She must have slipped out of her jeans somewhere on the way, because when he turned to give her the soft towel she stood right behind him in just her top full of paint and a pair of panties. She took the towel from him and he reached out and touched her cheek.

"You have paint everywhere…" he said, and she almost unnoticeably shivered.

"You too…"

She brushed the skin just under his eye with her thumb and smiled. And this time he couldn't stop himself. He took a step forward and sighing he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. One second passed, two, then three. She didn't move away and he whispered; "I wanna kiss you so badly Brooke…"

Her breath was warm against his cheek and his pulse sped up just by having her so close. Her fingers trailed lazily up and down his arm and then her raspy voice sounded in his ear.

"Then why don't you?"

His heart made a double-beat and he opened his eyes and looked at her. Her brown hair was messy and she had so much cerise paint on her face that she resembled an Indian, but she had never looked more appealing. Never sexier. He hesitated for a second but when he saw the look in her eyes, he knew.

There was nothing slow and romantic over the way his lips crashed onto hers. The kiss was more about need than about anything else. And when her tongue met his he felt like he would explode into a gazillion pieces. He pressed her up against the wall and her body moulded itself after his as if there hadn't been over four years since they did this.

"God Brooke…" he moaned between the kisses. He wasn't sure how far she would want to take this, but as her hands travelled in under his t-shirt he felt like he would never be able to stop. So he touched her back. Ran his hands down her waist and thighs and then up again to her breasts. Her breath hitched as he brushed her nipples under the thin top with his palms, and he wanted to rip the fabric right off her. She had said she hated the thing, hadn't she?

"Shower…" she mumbled against the skin of his neck and started unbuckling his belt while she kissed his jawline back to meet his lips.

And in the back of his mind a small warning bell went off. Maybe sleeping together while being a little drunk wasn't the smartest way to do things. Although by then he was already too far gone. He wanted her too much.

"No" he got out, his voice low and unsteady, "we're staying right here…" and then he grabbed the neckline of her flimsy top and ripped it. Her eyes widened and he was actually a little shocked himself. He was usually calm, not really the wild and dominating kind, but Brooke made him this way. When he thought about it, she always had.

The shirt fell to the floor and he reached behind her and unbuckled her bra. They were still kissing and when he cupped her naked breasts, she bit his lip and moaned. Shortly after, his own shirt took the same route and he stepped out of his jeans.

"We don't need to do this… if you wanna stop…"

She stopped his stream of words with more kissing and he was grateful, because what he was saying was all lies. They _did_ need to do this. _He_ needed _her_. And he couldn't stop, not before having her.

He reached down and lifted her up so that she could wrap her legs around his waist and when she pressed against him he realized that this was what he had wanted to do ever since seeing her on the River court two weeks ago. Maybe even since he went to New York, back when they were still in college. It was like if he had been craving something for so long but just now found out what it was.

A little shocked at his own realisation he tried to pull back but her legs was still wrapped around him, and they ended up staring at each other. Breathing heavy, lips red and swollen and still close enough to feel each others every move. How could he ever have given up on this girl? Even drunk he realized that it might have been the biggest mistake he had ever made.

Then Brooke breathed out; "Just kiss me again Luke…" and he did. And when he finally entered her, he thought that there was nothing in this world that he wanted more than to take back the day when he and Brooke broke up. He should have just stayed with her forever.

-

Afterwards they took a long shower together, helping each other to get most of the paint off, and while she dried her hair he went to make them something to eat. They hadn't had anything since lunch and they were both starving. Weirdly enough things weren't tense between them at all. They had just had sex against the wall in his bathroom, after hardly touching each other in four years, and it had almost seemed natural.

Wearing just a pair of basketball shorts he stood at the stove and whipped up a pair of omelettes and he heard her come in from the living room.

"Hey Brooke, do you want mushrooms on…"

He turned to her and then he just stood with his mouth open. Brooke stood there, wearing one of his white button-down shirts and with her still damp hair and her sunkissed skin, it made her look more beautiful than anything he had ever seem in his entire life.

It couldn't be more than a half hour since he had her and yet he desperately wanted her again, just by watching her from across the room.

"Come here" he said hoarsely and reached after her. The only piece of clothing she seemed be wearing was his shirt and he thought that out of everything he had ever seen her have on, this was her most beautiful outfit.

She walked slowly towards him, smiling sexily, and took the spatula out of his hand. She flipped the omelette easily, and he wanted to ask her when the hell she had learned to cook. But instead he stepped in behind her and kissed the delicate skin on her neck.

"Mmm…" she mused and the sound sent chills down his spine.

"You know what, Brooke…" he whispered against her skin. "Maybe it's a little too early to know if this is gonna work… but I'd love seeing what I'm seeing right now every morning from now on…"

She tensed a little but he kissed her again, just below her ear, and she leaned into him. His hands travelled in underneath the fabric and caressed her skin. He had been right, she wore nothing else.

And forgetting about the food cooking on the stove, he made love to her again, right on the kitchen floor. But not before whispering;

"You look good in my shirt…"

---

**May 17****th**** 2013**

"Remember that morning when I walked in on you and Brooke?" Haley says and giggles. And he laughs too.

"How the hell can I forget it? You accused me of making you blind for weeks…"

"It's true!"

With her hands firmly placed at her hips Haley sticks her tongue out at him, making that 'you know I'm right'-face from when they were kids. Then she says; "But I have to admit it though… as happy as the both of you looked, I wanted to cheer."

She hugs his waist and he smiles crookedly. Thinking back on the days following his and Brooke's painting-adventure is kind of bittersweet. He was so happy to have her that he fell into some kind of clueless deluded bliss. And he remembers never wanting to return to the real world.

"We didn't leave my house for three days…" he says and clears his throat meaningly. "It's a wonder we didn't die of starvation…"

Haley laughs again, but then her smile turns into a face of sympathy.

"But you _did_ come out eventually…"

---

**August 18****th**** 2011**

As he turned in bed and pulled Brooke closer to himself he was kind of surprised that his muscles were still working. His body ached, but in a wonderful way, and Brooke sighed contently.

"I need food…"

They probably both did, but it was almost ten in the evening and he couldn't get himself out of bed. So instead he kissed her neck and held on to her, keeping her under the sheets with him.

"I need _you_."

"You had me… like a hundred times already" she laughed. "I'm hungry. We need to build up our energy reserves."

She looked so beautiful. Rosy cheeks, eyes a little sleepy and her hair almost resembling of dreads.

"I love you Brooke" he whispered and breathed in the scent of her. "I love you so much that it's freaking crazy…"

There it was. The words that he had wanted to say for four years were out. All this time he had tried to hide from it all, pretend that he was over her, but he never were.

"Luke…" she said silently, and there was a strange undertone in her voice. "Don't say that, okay? Let's just let it be the way it is…"

She seemed a lot stiffer in his arms now and he put a finger under her chin urging her to look at him again. He wanted to see her eyes so that he could try to figure out what she was thinking.

"Hey… what's the matter baby? I'm just telling you how I feel…"

She met his eyes and for a second he looked right into eyes full of hurt. He hadn't expected her to react this way, if he had then he wouldn't have sprung this on her so abruptly, but she had seemed so content being here with him. As if she felt the same way.

"Brooke?" he tried again. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean you love me?" she mumbled, looking away again. "You don't know what that means. Why couldn't you just leave it alone…"

The last sentence seemed to be more directed to herself and he frowned, but she seemed to pull her self together.

"I waited for you for years Lucas. Hoping that you'd love me the way I loved you. But I told you when we broke up in high school; you _never_ needed me. I needed you so much and you just drifted away to Peyton whenever it got a little rough… that's not love Luke…" She sighed.

"_This_ is not love. It's lust, at most."

"But…"

He frantically tried to think of something to say. Something that would make her understand. "But this is not High school Brooke… We're grown now. We've changed…"

She laughed tiredly.

"Have we?"

Then she sat up in bed and reached out for her t-shirt. And he watched in silence as she pulled it on and got up. She mumbled something about wanting to go back to her hotel and when she reached the door he pleaded; "Please don't go Brooke…"

But she did, saying; "I need to think…"

And she didn't come back.

---

* * *

Thats all for the third part, but the fourth part isn't far away.  
I really hope that you'll review and tell me what you think about the 'season' so far...  
thanks again.

/Lynn


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: You all keep me going, you know that huh :) i'm LOVING the support for this story. I've udated like every two days and still i already have so many reviews. Amazing. Keep this up and i'll post the last part in no time. ;)

* * *

**- **

**YOU LOOK GOOD IN MY SHIRT**

**- **

**October 28****th**** 2011**

The morning after when he called her hotel she had already checked out and left. From Haley he found out that she had left the boutique in the hands of Rachel and for a while he hoped she'd at least be back for the opening-party, but Brooke even bailed that.

Four days after she left, Rachel came by and gave him a letter she had found at the store. It was addressed to him and inside was a note from Brooke, dated the night she left his house. It was short but the few lines instilled enough pain.

_Lucas,_

_These last few days have been amazing…_

_It was so long since I let myself let lose and have fun._

_And being with you again was wonderful…In ways it reminded me so much of the past when you and I where happy, and I needed that memory to remember where I am today._

_But I'm not ready for 'love' with you again, I don't think I'll ever be.__ So for both our sakes I will go back to New York in the morning and I won't contact you again. _

_I wish you all the happiness and hopefully you'll understand… _

_You have a wonderful heart Luke. _

_/Brooke_

After reading the note he was furious. Who was she to decide both their fates? He had finally come clean to himself about how he felt for her and now she just decided that they would never talk again?

But after calling her for three weeks without getting more than a quick "I can't really talk right now" or a "This is not a good time" he started giving up. Apparently she did _not_ feel the way he was feeling and even though that pained him more then he had thought possible, there wasn't much he could do.

Then, almost seven weeks past without any contact at all, either from his side or from hers, and that was why he was so surprised when his phone rang that Thursday morning.

He was sitting by the window, writing the outline for his new book, and the signal from his cell startled him. He put the pen down and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey… it's me…"

Brooke. At first he was so surprised that he didn't even know what to say, but then he breathed out. Just the sound of her voice made his heart ache.

"Hi Brooke, how are you?" he asked politely and he kept his voice calm and kind of cold. Not a word in over two and a half months and now she wanted to talk? Well maybe he didn't.

"Are you busy?" Her voice was hardly more then a whisper, and when she said; "Can you talk?" he started wondering why she sounded so strained.

"What's going on Brooke?" he asked, ignoring her initial question.

There was a couple of seconds of silence and then his ex took a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant…"

At first he simply didn't understand what she had said and for a few seconds his brain struggled to connect the dots.

"What?" he stuttered. "What…did you just say?"

"I'm pregnant."

Another silence and he frowned. He didn't want to make the same mistake he made in high school, so instead of saying 'is it mine?' he looked up at the calendar above his desk. Today was the 28th of October. He hadn't seen Brooke since the slept together in mid August.

"How far along are you?"

"Almost two and a half months…"

God, he thought, they had made a baby. In that single but amazing weekend they had managed to create a child. Part her, part him… and it was growing inside her as they spoke.

"Wow…" he breathed. He didn't know what to say. Frankly, he didn't even know how to feel. Half of him wanted to jump out of his chair and scream with joy. He wanted a child, wanted to become a father, and during the last year, with the births of both Trey and Antwon, he had thought a lot about how life would have turned out if Brooke had for a fact been pregnant in their junior year like they first thought. Sometimes late at night he had even found himself wishing that she had been.

But there was also a part of him that felt very scared and hesitant. He still had really strong feelings for her. And she obviously didn't feel the same way. He didn't even know if she wanted the child, especially not with him.

"What do you want to do?" he asked carefully and she sighed deeply on the other end. He clutched the phone harder in his hand and waited for her reply, because even though he didn't think that Brooke would happily go for an abortion he couldn't be sure. With the hectic life she led, and with everything she had going for herself with her company, a baby was hardly what she wanted.

Her voice seemed tired but at the same time strong when she finally answered.

"I can't go through with an abortion. I thought about it a lot Lucas, and I know you should have a say in this, but I'm gonna have the baby…"

He breathed out, so relieved that all the hurt and bitterness he had felt lately just melted away. She was keeping their child. They could finally be a family, him Brooke and the baby. He would finally get a chance to show her how he felt. But before he could respond she continued;

"…but I'm staying in New York. I wanted you to know since I could never lie to you. And if you want to be a part of the baby's life I won't stand in your way… but if you don't… then I won't blame you…"

The last words made his mouth fall open in shock.

"If I don't what? What do you mean?"

"I mean, if you don't want to be a daddy… I'd understand Luke. I'm making this decision on my own and if you don't agree…"

That was enough and he interrupted her mid-sentence with force.

"What the hell are you saying Brooke? I'd _never_ turn my back on my child, or on you for that matter… I know it wasn't what you wanted to hear since you left without a trace when I last told you, but I still feel the same. I _love_ you. I wanna do this _with_ you!"

She sighed again. The sound came out almost like a sob and he wondered if she was crying.

"_I don't want to talk about this now"_ she got out and her cracked up voice confirmed his suspicions. _"I _can't_ talk about it now, I'm at the office…"_

Anger, hurt and disappointment mixed with frustration and he couldn't help raising his voice.

"Then why the hell did you call me?!" he half-yelled. "Why did you even bother to _tell_ me!"

When she didn't answer he just slammed the cell phone shut and growled in frustration, but it didn't help. So he threw his cell phone across the room and watched as it hit the wall and broke into a million pieces.

Just like his heart.

---

**May 17****th**** 2013**

It's getting late now and they should probably start thinking about heading back home. But the spring air is still warm and the evening is so beautiful. And standing like this, talking to Haley without having thousand of other things going on around them, is a luxury nowadays.He looks down at Haley and she seems so radiant tonight, and so much calmer than usual. Maybe she's stuck in nostalgic memories too.The last six years has been busy and somewhat rocky for her as well. Two kids, her teaching job, a husband that travelled a lot with his basketball team and sometimes left her and the children alone for days in a row. But through it all she and Nathan had remained strong. And standing here with his arm around his best friend he wonders what he would have done, and where he would have been today, if it weren't for her and his brother."You know I love you, right Hales?" he says and squeezes her shoulder.She nods. "You better. You owe me..."He laughs and makes a face. She's of course kidding but that doesn't mean that it isn't true. He does owe her. He owes most of his friends. As a matter of fact he even owes Peyton.

"You know the day Brooke called and told me she was pregnant… I don't think I've ever been so confused in my entire life…"

He looks at Haley and just by thinking of that day his stomach tightens up. Even now, almost two years later, he remembers just wanting to get his life straight for once, and the fear of never having it happen.

"I just wanted her to talk to me… You know, really talk… Do you remember how crushed I was?"

They wind catches Haley's hair and she brushes the loose strands away from her face.

"How could I forget that Lucas? I don't think I ever seen you be so upset, or so drunk for that matter… Seriously, Nathan had to almost carry you out of Blue Post like four times just in that week."

He nods.

"I don't want to think about what would have happened if I hadn't talked to Peyton…"

---

**November 2****nd**** 2011**

The beer was cold and flowed easily down his throat in the hot nightclub even though he was still hung over. To imagine that this place had once been a crappy pool hall felt almost unbelievable, and at the same time he felt sad that they had renovated the place. He wanted it to look the same as it had in high school so that he could wallow in his memories of Brooke…

Not that he didn't already do that. This was his fifth night at the Blue Post and as of last night, when Nathan had dropped him off at his doorstep and left him drunkenly puking in the bushes, his brother had told him that he was tired of being his babysitter. That if he was going to be a father then he'd better grow up. He didn't remember much from his drunken blur the last days but he remembered that clearly. Maybe because it came right after a slap in the face.

He knew that his friends were tired of him. First he had been moping for two months because Brooke just disappeared on him, and now he had spent a whole week either drunk off his ass or spilling his problems out on Haley's shoulder. Telling her over and over again how angry he was at Brooke, how unfair all this was and how the entire world seemed to be against him. And mostly Haley just sighed. She had two babies to take care of, three if one counted Nathan, and she probably had enough on her plate even without his whiny ass.

He had tried going to Mouth as well but just like in their last years of high school he started wondering with whom the guy's loyalty actually where. Because Mouth simply stated "Deal with it" and hung up, sounding like he had done something wrong.

And he hadn't. He just loved Brooke, that was all. And he just wanted her with him. Was that really so bad?

He took another big gulp of the beer and leaned against the bar, resting his head in his hands. And when someone placed a hand on his shoulder he flinched by the sudden intrusion.

"Still feeling sorry for yourself?"

He looked up and saw Peyton standing at his side, wearing a face of boredom. Her blond hair was straight nowadays and longer then when they dated, but she still looked about the same. She still wore the same tight jeans and emo t-shirts. And she still had that way of looking at him like she wondered what the hell he was doing. But ever since going back to dating Jake she looked happy. Content.

"What are you doing here?" he sighed, and she pulled out the barstool next to him and sat down.

"I'm just passing by. Haley said I'd find you here."

"Yeah? Well did she also say that I'm not very social right now?"

He didn't mean to sound harsh, but he and Peyton didn't really hang out much anymore and he really didn't feel like talking. Especially not to the blonde, because in a way, just sitting here with her made him think of Brooke even more. But his foul mood didn't seem to scare her off.

"Stop being such a fucking cry-baby Luke" she said and waved to the bartender to get a beer of her own. "So, Brooke ditched your ass? What did you think she would do? Marry you?"

She chuckled and looked at him as if she was amused by it all and he suddenly felt angry.

"What the hell do you mean by that Peyton?"

Haley must have filled her in on the baby-situation and he really should have expected that. Even though Brooke and Peyton weren't as close as they had once been, they were still close friends and Haley saw to it that Peyton was updated on anything regarding his dimpled ex-girlfriend.

"I mean that with everything that you and Brooke went through over the years, did you really think that she would just throw herself at you because you said you loved her? It's not like it's the first time you told her that, and your track-record isn't peachy, right?"

She raised an eyebrow at him and he threw his hands out in frustration.

"But it's a little different this time, don't you think? We're not high schoolers anymore Peyton. She's pregnant and we are adults. We should deal with this together!"

Suddenly he regretted opening his big mouth. Because the expression on Peyton's face told him that Haley hadn't spilled that latest little detail. The second he said the word 'pregnant' Peyton's eyes widened and she clasped her hand over her mouth. A couple of seconds passed before she finally spoke.

"She's gonna keep it, right?"

Gone were the bored expression and the smirk. Instead she looked worried and her face reminded him about how close she and Brooke used to be. He nodded and spun the almost empty glass in his hands.

"Yeah… but she doesn't want anything to do with _me_."

"Lucas, I'm not gonna sit here and tell you what you're gonna tell her, because if you can't figure that out yourself then you're not good enough for her. But I'm going to tell you this; if you don't get your ass off of this barstool and onto the next flight to New York within the next five minutes, then I'm seriously going to hurt you."

He pushed the beer further away from himself on the bar and leaned his head into his hands again.

"It won't matter because she won't talk to me Peyt… I've called her house, her cell, her office… I talked to Rachel, Carrie _and_ her secretary, but she won't even take any of my calls."

Peyton patted his back.

"You _know_ her Lucas. It doesn't matter that she's five years older or that she's become a famous designer. When it comes to you she's still the same insecure little cheerleader. She's still _Brooke_, Luke, and you two have so much bad history. She's just so scared of loving you…"

Weirdly enough he knew what she meant. Because when it came to Brooke, he was still the boy from high school. The guy that had been so immensely in love with Brooke Davis that he though his heart would never heal after she broke up with him.

It had taken him time to understand that all that heartbreak also had been the reason for him running right into the arms of Peyton. Peyton had been a safe alternative. She had said she loved him, and he really _liked_ her. But since he never felt that fiery love for her that he had for Brooke, there was less chance that his heart would be broken again.

Maybe Peyton was reading his mind, or maybe she had just come to the same conclusion, because she sighed and said;

"You're _both_ so scared… but you have to be willing to bet to win."

He shook his head, still feeling like the world was crashing around him, and she kept rubbing his back.

"Luke, I know how you feel, okay? I was scared too. I was so afraid that Jake would never really be mine that I settled for you. And I knew that you weren't all mine either. I'm not as slow as you Lucas, I knew your heart was with Brooke all along. But it was easier... less scary in a way, to be with you. Because you could never _break _me in the way Jake would have if I had picked him and he had left again.""You know that you are verbalizing my thoughts, right?" he said slowly. "I _never _meant to hurt you or to use you Peyton. I told myself I was in love with you and in a way I was..."

She smiled.

"It's alright. I mean in reality we were using _each other_. To mend and to become less afraid. But Brooke is still scared. You left her twice... you picked me over her. And on top of that she's pregnant. If I know her like I think I do, then she is sure that you're just trying to do right by your child."He sighed deeply, knowing that Peyton was right. But then again, he had told Brooke how he felt even before he knew she was pregnant. For all they knew, he might have told her before the baby was even made."I just don't know how to make her listen..." he said sadly, meeting the blonde's eyes. "If she won't even talk to me, then how am I gonna make her understand?""I don't know. All I know is that if you don't make her understand, then you'll regret it your entire life. I took me three months to get Jake to even go on a date with me, and sometimes I think he still doubts that I'm with him to stay..." She smiled. "But it gets better Lucas. You just have to get her to understand that you're scared too."The bar was crowded and for the first time in the last couple of days he just wanted to get out of there. The smell of beer nauseated him and he longed for the fresh air outside."Lets get out of here..." he said and pushed himself off of the chair. "I need to go home and pack…"

---

**November 3****rd**** 2011**

Peyton found him a flight and booked it for him while he threw some things in a bag. And then he had four cups of strong coffee to sober up completely before she drove him to the airport. At half past six in the morning he buckled up in his seat and now, almost seven hours later, he stepped out of his cab on the corner of 34th street and 8th avenue. Right in the middle of the fashion district.

Since it was still only lunchtime he had decided to start at her office. She'd probably go mental over the fact that he ambushed her at work but what could she do? Throw him out?

The building was huge, probably more than thirty floors high, and as he stepped into the lobby he felt small in a whole new way. He took the elevator up to the 26th floor and stepped into the stylish reception area where a girl was sitting behind a desk.

"Hi" he said, clearing his throat, "I'm looking for Brooke Davis…"

"Do you have an appointment?"

He shook his head and the girl looked at him strangely.

"Then I can't really let you through. She's busy in meetings all day."

"But I have to see her" he said as if that would just solve everything, and as soon as the words left his mouth he realized how stupid it sounded. This way the girl would never let him see Brooke. So he changed his approach and instead of getting visibly irritated he instead continued;

"I'm sorry." He plastered on his most charming smile. "I'm Lucas Scott, Brooke's boyfriend. She doesn't know I'm in town and I want to surprise her…"

The girl seemed to think for a second or two but then she suddenly gasped.

"_You're_ Lucas Scott? The author from Tree Hill? I've read your book like three times!"

He blushed a little, still not used to people knowing about his work, but the girl didn't seem to notice. She just kept going.

"Wow, I bet Brooke is in the book right? God, this is so romantic… is she the high school sweetheart? She can't be the one that got away, right? I mean since you're still together. I didn't even know she had I boyfriend, but then again, she's really protective of her private life. If I had a boyfriend like you, then I'd show him off all the time."

She giggled and he realized she was flirting with him. She would definitely let him see Brooke now.

"You know what…" he said, leaning forward a little to look at her nametag "…uhm… Mary. I'm really protective of mine and Brooke's private life too. We don't want a lot of journalists to start digging into our past and we're not the kind of couple that shows of our home in some interior design magazine…"

"You're more like Brangelina" she said, nodding seriously. "I understand, I won't say anything."

He had no clue what so ever what 'Brangelina' symbolized but something in the back of his head told him he would have known if he and Brooke had been closer. Still he nodded.

"So I'll just sneak in there" he said, pointing in a direction he hoped was the right one, and she winked.

"Sure, she's in the design room in the back."

-

The office was a lot bigger then he thought, and once again he felt like he should have been updated about this. In his head he had somehow imagined that she still lived in her college-apartment with Carrie, but she probably gave that up long ago too.

To think that the project that once started in hers and Haley's livingroom had grown into this. There were at least thirty people sitting in here and he snuck through the mostly open office landscape in search for a familiar brunette. And then he suddenly saw her.

In a big room behind glass walls she stood leaned over some sketches and she was talking on her cell. He slipped in through the halfway open door and watched her. She hadn't seen him yet and he noticed the dark circles under her eyes, the ones she easily got when she didn't sleep enough, and the tired bodylanguage. Finally he cleared his throat because he felt guilty sneaking up on her like this.

She flinched and looked up, and as soon as she saw him her eyes widened.

"Hey Carl…" she said into her phone but kept staring at him. "Can I call you back? Something just came up that I have to deal with…"

She hung up and he took a couple of steps into the room, letting out a silent "Hi…"

She took a step back and he stopped.

"What are you doing here?"

All the things that he had planned to say, everything he had rehearsed on the plane and in the cab, was suddenly forgotten and he just stood there silent with a mind as blank as an unused piece of paper.

"We need to talk Brooke… and since you're not taking my calls…"

She looked pale to him. And sad. Far from the laughing sunkissed girl he had spent that weekend with in August.

"You shouldn't have come here…" she whispered and turned back to her sketches. "This is where I _work_ Lucas. You can't just barge in here…"

He noticed that her eyes wandered to the side and he followed her glance. Outside of the glass walls most of the staff was watching them with curious eyes. Maybe coming here _had_ been a bad choice…

"Then lets leave" he stated calmly and she met his eyes again. "Let's go somewhere and talk where you can feel more comfortable."

-

The drive down to where she lived was short but to him it felt almost as long as his flight. Brooke kept staring out the window and he fiddled with his gloves that were placed on his lap. It would all have been so much easier if they could at least engage in small-talk, but he couldn't for the world think of something to say.

The cab finally pulled to a stop outside a big stone-house in the middle of Tribeca and he let himself out before opening the door for Brooke. She walked in front of him up the stairs and into the lobby, and then the elevator-ride was even more silent.

There was so much he wanted to say, but he had no idea where to start.

She unlocked her front door and let him walk in before she followed him into the spacey hallway.

"Make yourself comfortable" she said and left him standing. "I'm just gonna go change."

She disappeared and he walked into the livingroom, taking in the surroundings of her home. Just as her last place it was nicely furnished but he guessed that there was a gap in the price-range. The bookshelves were full of books and he walked from one end to the other, looking through the titles. She had his book, next to 'the winter of my discomfort', and he couldn't help but smile. He could almost bet that if he took out the old Steinbeck book it would say 'Lucas Scott' on the inside of its cover. His copy had been gone for years…

She had a lot of pictures and he was surprised to see himself in several of them. And just as he picked one of them up he heard her coming back into the room.

"Do you remember when we took this?" he said without turning around. The picture he held in his hand was one of him and Brooke outside of the Ravens gym. She was laughing in it and he had his arm proudly around her shoulders.

"I don't even know why I still have that…"

Her voice sounded weak and tired and he turned and faced her. She had taken off her stricter office clothes and now she wore sweats and a big t-shirt, making her look a lot more vulnerable than before.

He sighed. Not being able to just wrap her up in his arms pained him.

"How are you feeling Brooke?" he said and carefully put the picture-frame back on the shelf.

"How I'm feeling? Well let's see… I'm pregnant, tired beyond words, nauseous and stressed out. The spring-line should have been done two weeks ago…I'm backed up in meetings from dawn until seven or eight at night, and now _you_'re here, stressing me out even more…"

There was something mechanical over the tone in her voice. As if it was strangely void of emotions. And he wished for an emotional outburst. Anger, tears or even a slap in the face… anything would be better than this 'hollowness'.

"So what did the doctor say?" he asked, trying not to be offended by her last accusation. She was standing on arms-length distance from him and he kept his voice soft and low to in some way neutralize the emptiness in hers.

"That everything looks good with the baby. That I shouldn't stress so much and that I need to eat more… But he has never been in charge over a fashion company, and he has obviously never been pregnant since food equals nausea…"

"Are you throwing up and stuff?" he asked worriedly and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes I'm throwing up and _stuff_. But I have a doctor for my health problems. Seriously Luke, why did you come? I'm guessing you didn't fly up here to check if I eat properly."

Of course he didn't. But now that he was actually here he realized that there was more to worry about than Brooke not wanting anything to do with him. She was still stunningly beautiful, she could never be anything but, but he was bound to agree with the doctor. She needed rest, that much was clear to him. And she probably did need to eat more, because she seemed too thin to him, and from what he knew being pregnant were supposed to do the opposite to women.

"I had no other option if I wanted to talk to you, right?" he said and leaned against the edge of the couch. "You're not answering any of my calls…"

She turned her head and looked out the window. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest and her body-language was hostile at best.

"Why are you so angry Brooke? I'm not here to argue with you or to put more stress on you… I've respected your wish to stay away for almost two months. But you have to understand that this changes things… I can't _not_ talk to you or see you when you're carrying my baby…"

Her shoulders dropped a bit and she bit her bottom lip.

"I'm not angry…" she whispered. "But seeing you is making this so much harder… and I really need to get through this week. This month…"

"Then let me help you. Tell me what you need and I'll do anything for you."

He was begging now, he realized that, but his brunette ex just shook her head.

"I can't take your help Luke. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that if I do, then I won't manage when you go back…"

He was losing the battle but he kept pushing. "Then I'll just stay. I can write from here and I'll get an apartment close to yours."

She just had to see that she didn't need to be afraid. And he wanted her to know that baby or no baby, he still wanted to be near her. But she shook her head again although her resolve seemed to be diminishing.

"Don't be ridiculous…" she mumbled. "I told you already, I won't keep you out of the baby's life. But I can't have you being my neighbor Lucas…"

She mumbled something more, and at first it sounded like she said; "…my heart would break" but he shook the thought out of his head, realizing that it was probably wishful thinking on his part. So finally feeling beat, he held back his sigh of disappointment.

"At least let me make you dinner tonight" he said, and to this she actually nodded her head.

-

He cooked her ravioli with spinach, since she told him she craved that, and they didn't argue more. They didn't talk that much either, it was still tense between them and she kept her walls up, but at least she talked a little about the baby. And after he had put away the dishes she showed him the blurry black and white sonogram-picture from her first doctors appointment.

When looking at it he felt his eyes fill with tears but he held them back, not wanting her to get sad too. But she must have noticed it, because when he got ready to leave a little while later she silently handed it over to him and made sure he put it in his bag.

"I'll call you…" she said silently and he couldn't stop himself from touching her cheek.

"Promise?"

She nodded and he wasn't sure what to believe. He hoped she was going to stay in touch but he could never be sure. Then she stepped up closer to him and for a short while he was allowed to hold her.

Against her hair he whispered; "I'll always be here Brooke. I can wait forever for you…" and her shoulders raised and fell in a silent sob.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, and he wanted to ask her 'for what?' but she suddenly broke loose and rushed back into the apartment. The quick glance he got of her face told him she was crying and he hadn't thought it was possible but his heart broke even more.

And when he sat in the cab five minutes later, holding the little photocopy of their baby in his hand, he felt like he had left his heart on her doorstep.

---

* * *

- 

Hate me? 

This was the fourth part and the end of this story is approching. I feel sad because i loved writing this fic. But hey, on to new stories (and old. For you that follow GBTRD, update is coming up in a couple of days). Anyways, thanks again for all the support and please review and tell me what you think.

Love /Lynn


	5. Chapter 5

Authors note: This, ladies and gentlemen, is the last part of this story. And wierdly enough i'm really sad to see it end. It's the first story of mine to be completed on this site and... i don't know, it just feels wierd. :)

Once again; A HUGE thank you to all of you for reviewing this. Especially my BL-girls from the thread. Here we go...

* * *

**-**

**YOU LOOK GOOD IN MY SHIRT**

**- **

**May 17****th**** 2013**

"It surprises me that you thought that Brooke would cave…" Haley says and pulls her hair into a ponytail, finally getting tired of having it blowing in her face. "Maybe you were just used to having girls fall head over heals for your scrawny butt."

This time he is the one poking his tongue out at her. It hadn't been like that at all. It had just been such a confusing feeling to be in love with Brooke and not being allowed to show it openly. To always have to be afraid that his emotions would somehow scare her.

"Don't make faces!" Haley scolds with a held back smile. "You were in deep shit… if it hadn't been for me and Nathan…"

He rolls his eyes.

"I've already _told_ you I owe you…"

---

**January 26****th**** 2012**

Almost three months passed.

Brooke kept her promise and they talked on the phone. At first maybe every ten days or when she had her doctor's appointments, but then the calls slowly increased.

He invited her to come down to Tree Hill for Christmas but she politely declined, saying that she had too much at work, and for new years Nathan and Haley went to New York to see her but she never asked him to come along. Of course he was disappointed but he tried not to show it.

He missed her every day and if he had thought that it would get better, he was soon proved wrong. Every time she called and he heard her voice, the pain in his heart felt deeper.

But life went on and in the beginning of January he released his second book. The title was on ads everywhere and every time he saw it he was forced to think of her. Without having the writing to concentrate on he soon grew restless and in the last week of that month he started redecorating his guest room into a nursery, thinking that his unborn child needed it's own room.

And that was where his brother found him this cold Wednesday morning, standing on a ladder and struggling to put up wallpaper.

"Yellow, huh? What if it's a boy?"

He flinched and dropped the already glued piece of wallpaper he was holding.

"Damn it!"

Nathan laughed but picked it up and helped him get it untangled. And when the length was up at least close to straight on the wall, he answered;

"What's wrong with yellow? It's supposed to be unisex…"

"Hmm… yeah sure…"

His brother fake coughed, managing to get the word 'gay' in, and then sat down on one of the boxes.

"She misses you like hell…" he then said and Lucas looked up and met his eyes for the first time.

"Brooke? How do you know?"

Nathan and Haley had been back from New York for two weeks but this was the first time Nathan talked about meeting his ex.

"Because she told me… We talked a lot. And I wasn't planning on telling you but…"

"But what?"

"But I can't watch the two of you hurt yourselves like this."

The sun seeped in through the half open blinds and Nathan went quiet again while scanning the half-finished nursery. The wallpaper was mostly up, the crib was bought already and he had put it together the night before. It was still four months to go before Brooke was planned to give birth, but since he didn't see her he needed a way to make it all more 'real'. He needed to feel like he was preparing.

He felt like he should wait for Nathan to continue but when his dark haired brother just kept looking around the room he grew impatient.

"What did she say?" he asked and Nathan looked back up.

"Do you know that she hasn't even bought a crib? She's five and half months pregnant and when Haley wanted to know what room she would make into a nursery she just shrugged and said she hadn't thought of it."

Lucas frowned. It didn't sound like Brooke at all. She lived to decorate and plan things like this, and her not having even picked a room just sounded strange. But he still didn't really get where Nathan was heading.

"And?" he said, urging Nathan to explain.

"She doesn't _want_ to live in New York, you dumbass. She's not preparing because in her head she's not staying there."

His brother smiled crookedly. "I asked her what would make her move back here, and she answered 'Lucas'."

His eyes grew wide. "She said that?"

"Yeah… but then I asked her what was stopping her. I mean, she already _has_ you. And she answered with your name again."

Lucas frowned now.

"You're not making sense Nate…"

"That's what I told Brooke. But see, she thinks that going back to you is like signing up to get hurt again. She loves you, she _wants_ to be with you, but she's stalling…"

Lucas leaned against the ladder and sighed, although his heart was flying just by knowing that Brooke possibly loved him back, he still felt confused.

"Then what should I do?" he asked. "I don't want to push her more than I've already done. At least we're talking now…"

"Yeah, but you're not seeing her, and you're not kissing her or having her confide in you…"

In a way it felt like his brother was mocking him, and he started to grow annoyed. And maybe Nathan saw that because he waved his hands forgivingly.

"Just get her home Luke. Just tell her you need her…"

-

That night, when Lucas had finished hanging the wallpaper and Nathan had left to go home to his wife and kids, he sat down at his desk and pulled out a pad of papers. He had tried talking to Brooke, he had tried arguing with her, given her space and ambushed her with his emotions, but nothing had worked.

His brother was right though, he needed her home. He needed her _with_ him. And the only thing he could think of that was left was writing a letter.

Back in high school Brooke had written him 82 letters, and if it hadn't been for those they would probably never even have gotten back together in senior year. In those letters she had spilled her heart to him, and for a couple of months that fall he had tried to repay the gesture. But he had only gotten to letter nr 19, because after that Peyton got between them again and Brooke dumped him.

And although that made it logical to number this letter 20, he got out a pen and wrote 'the 83rd letter' in the top right hand corner. To him it just seemed to make more sense.

Because to him the 83rd letter symbolized the last chance.

And as the night fell outside, he started writing. Word after word, sentence after sentence, letting his heart lie naked on the page. The more he wrote, the more he felt he needed to say and hours later the stack of papers lied finished in front of him.

He stretched his fingers and got out of his chair, and then he walked over to the big walk-in closet where he had put all the things saved from his old room at his mom's house. He started rummaging through the different bags, trying to find that little wooden box he had kept for so long, and finally he found it.

It was almost two o'clock in the morning when he opened the small lid and took out the single red feather. Carefully he placed it with the letter in an envelope and glued it shut.

And when the mailman emptied the mailbox a little later, the letter was already in there.

---

**May 17****th**** 2013**

"She cried when she called me…" Haley says and looks at something at the other side of the park.

"Who?

"Brooke. She cried when she told me about the letter and what you wrote in it."

His face turns a shade of crimson red and Haley laughs. He hadn't thought she knew about that. But of course she does. Over the years the bond between Haley and Brooke never diminished in strength, more like the opposite. And Haley had always been Brooke's rock.

"I feel embarrassed now…" he mumbles, but Haley just laughs louder.

"Don't be Luke. I was so proud of you. And even though Brooke never answered it, that letter was as near poetry that a letter ever can be. I bet Mrs Matthews would have been proud too…"

He looks back at the shorter brunette beside him, felling confused.

"Mrs Mathews? Our old English teacher?"

"Yeah."

It takes a few second but then he finally realizes that Haley is mocking him, and he hits her playfully.

"You're such a…"

He searches for a fitting insult but Haley is quicker.

"Corny romantic? No, Lucas Scott, I think _that_ would be you…"

---

**March 4****th**** 2012**

February came with warmer weather and he spent a lot of time with Haley and her kids. Trey was turning two soon and was already talking up a storm, and the soon to be five year old James was becoming a carbon copy of his father.

He still talked to Brooke, usually every day and sometimes even twice, but she never mentioned his letter. Sometimes he even wondered if it had gotten lost in the mail, but mostly he was realistic, thinking that she had just burned it. Just like she had done with his lame written explanation in junior year.

And then the month on the calendar switched to March and he was home finishing up on some notes for a writing congress he was going to be attending the week after. The noise from the TV still hummed in the background after his and Nathan lazy basketball game-watching Saturday night and he yawned and stretched his arms over his head. When the phone suddenly broke the silence he made no rush to answer.

But then, when he saw Brooke's cell phone number on his display, he instantly became worried. It was already past midnight and picking up he said;

"Baby, it's late, is everything okay?"

She didn't answer at first and silence took over the room, nothing else heard but the silent sounds from the TV announcer. Nothing else but the sound of her breathing, until she said;

"What would you say if I said I wanted to come home to Tree Hill?"

She almost whispered the words but he heard her clearly and he held his breath.

"It depends… What does that mean Brooke?"

His question was asked softly but yet it held much more hope than he let on. This was what he had been waiting on, and now when she finally said it, he was almost scared to believe her.

"I think I'm making a mistake staying in New York… but if you don't want me to come back then I won't…" She hesitated for a couple of seconds and for some reason he felt like it was important not to break in and interrupt. "I don't know… but I… I miss you…"

He breathed in deeply, still not believing that they were having this conversation. Sure, everything had slowly been better between them lately, but he had almost stopped hoping that she'd ever cave.

"I miss you too Brooke" he answered silently. And then, before he could stop himself he heard himself say;

"But _why_ would you come back? Nothing has really changed…"

She was quiet for a while and he was just about to ask '_when_ would you move back?' when the doorbell rang and he cursed the person on the other side of the door. Brooke was finally opening up for real and he didn't want the interruption.

"Hold on one second" he said and hoped that she wouldn't close up on him. "I just have to get the door."

He left the phone on the table and hastily went out and swung the door open, ready to get rid of the visitor as soon as possible. At this time at night it was probably just Nathan anyways. But then his jaw dropped and his heart got caught somewhere in his throat. Brooke was standing on his doorstep, surrounded by bags and suitcases and with a nervous expression on her face.

"I just love you Lucas…" she mumbled silently. "I can't even figure out why, I just do…"

She bit her lip self-consciously and he finally snapped out of his frozen state and opened his arms for her. They needed to talk about this, but it could wait. She instantly took a step forward and her rounded belly bumped into him as they hugged. "…but I didn't want to come home if you didn't want me to."

"Of course I want you here Brooke" he hushed. "It's the only thing I've wanted for five years…" Then he smiled. "But what would you have done if I had said no?"

She looked up at him and he wanted to lean in and kiss those beautifully puckered lips, but it felt too early. She was still scared.

"I don't know… gone back I guess…"

"I'm glad you didn't."

She was lost in his arms, head on his heart, and he breathed in the familiar scent from her before he kissed her forehead and softly whispered the words;

"Oh, and I forgot to tell you pretty girl; I just love you too…"

---

**May 17****th**** 2013**

"I still can't believe she sold her New York apartment before she had even talked to you about moving back…"

"Well that's my Brooke right there… When she decides on something there's nothing stopping her."

Trey comes running over the court with tears streaming down his face and Haley squats down to the little boy's level.

"Hey buddy…" she says softly and hugs him. "What happened?"

Barely audible through the sobs the little boy tries to explain what happened, and in his ears it's mostly incoherent baby talk, but to Haley it all seems to make sense.

"James!" she calls and her oldest stops out on the tarmac and turns towards them.

"Yeah?"

"Try and remember that Trey's only three, okay? You have to play nice with him…"

James rolls his eyes but says "Yes mommy" before going back to dribbling the basketball and Lucas has to smile. His godson is turning into quite the little man.

"See?" Haley says to Trey and kisses his still a bit babychubby face. "James is gonna slow down for you."

Trey dries the last of his tears off and sniffles. His bottom lip still shivers a bit and he looks up at his mother with big sad eyes.

"I want Brooke to come play with me…"

"I know baby, I know…"

---

**June 1****6****th**** 2012**

The night in March when Brooke came knocking on his door, they had a long talk. They sat at his kitchen table well until six in the morning, talking about love, trust, parenthood and relationships. _Their_ relationship specifically. And even though they both agreed to take it easy in the beginning he had simply put her bags in his bedroom and from that moment she lived in his house.

It wasn't until weeks after, when he asked her what she was planning on doing with her New York loft, that she told him she had put it up for sale right after she had gotten his letter and that when she turned up on his doorstep she had technically been homeless.

He had laughed and called her crazy and she had just shrugged and said; _"Love makes you do crazy things…" _

That night they slept together for the first time in seven months and when he held her, felt her soft naked skin against his and heard her softly moan his name, he realized that they had finally started to let go of their past. All the ways they had gone wrong over the years wouldn't be solved over night but it was a start. And when he woke up the morning after, still holding her, then he finally allowed himself to hope that the ring he had hidden in his closet would eventually come to use.

She redecorated the nursery again of course, but she left the yellow wallpaper he had put up and the crib, saying that it was too much 'love' in those things to ever take them away, even though the color was ugly. He in turn, threw away two big boxes of her shoes, thinking that she'd never notice it, and that resulted in their first fight as a couple. It lasted for three hours and when she finally forgave him, she had somehow gotten him to give up his favorite chair.

Now, just days before Brooke were expected to give birth, they were happier then they had ever been. And on this beautiful day in late June they were going to the beach promenade to have dinner with Haley and his brother. A last fancy restaurant dinner before the baby came, as Haley had said.

"Are you coming Brooke?" he yelled into the house. "We need to go."

She answered something he couldn't make out but just minutes later she came out the door.

"You, Brooke Davis," he said and pulled her in for a kiss before opening the car door for her. "You look like a freaking dream come true…"

She laughed but he was completely serious. Pregnant or not, his girlfriend looked like a movie star, and with that 'come hither'-smile of hers she could probably get him to commit murder if she asked him.

He helped her get into her seat and saw to it that she buckled up, and when he was seated beside her he looked her over more carefully.

"You feeling alright?"

"_Yes_ Lucas. For the sixth thousand time today; I'm just peachy! Now, let's go."

He started the car but not before making sure one last time that her seatbelt was on and Brooke rolled her eyes. He knew that she thought he worried too much but it was in his nature, and having a girlfriend in her 37th week of pregnancy was kind of off the stress-charts for him.

A five minute drive later he parked the car outside the seafood-place. Brooke seemed exited and he was happy he had agreed on going. Even though he felt she should just rest, he knew that Haley had been right. In a couple of days they would have an infant to take care of and restaurants would not be a priority.

They found Nathan and Haley at a table on the terrace and they chatted away while ordering. James and Trey was with Deb for the evening and it was nice to get to have a dinner without kids for once.

The food came and he was busy talking to Nathan about his team's new coach when Haley kicked his leg under the table.

"What?" he said turning, but Haley hushed him and nodded towards Brooke. His girlfriend was turned in her chair and was busy making silly faces to the little kid seated on the table to the right of them.

She looked adorable and he covered his mouth not to laugh out loud.

"She's gonna be such a great mom…" Haley mouthed and he nodded. And when Brooke made her hilarious blow-fish face he couldn't hold it in any longer and just let the laughter come out.

Brooke realized they were all watching her and blushingly turned back to her food, but he leaned over and kissed her. His baby would get the greatest mom in the world.

-

An hour later they were finishing up their desert and he noticed Brooke making faces again. Slightly confused he turned and looked for the kid but that table had been empty for at least half an hour.

Turning back to Brooke he saw her blow up her cheeks and let the air out slowly for the third time the last five minutes.

"Baby, what are you doing?" he asked, trying to get her attention. "Why are you making that face?"

She took another deep breath. "Because these Braxton-hicks are killing me… and this damn pain in my back won't pass."

He gave her upper arm a sympathetic rub. The doctor had told them about this kind of pre-labor months ago and the last couple of days Brooke had experienced tiny menstrual cramp-like sensations. He had wanted to drive her to the hospital twenty times just during the first day, but Brooke simply called her ob-gyn and was told it was completely normal.

It still freaked him out but he was getting used to it.

"You want me to go get you a pillow?"

She shook her head and made yet another pained face. "No, I'll get one myself… I have to go to the ladies room anyway. My bladder is killing me…"

She pushed herself off of the chair and held a hand at her lower back while waddling towards the restrooms, and he hadn't more than just turned back towards Haley and Nathan when he heard her go;

"Uh-oh…"

She had stopped a couple of feet away and she was looking down on the wodden deck.

"What, pretty girl?"

He was still partly focused on Haley, but when she didn't answer he turned and saw the growing puddle at her feet.

"Brooke?" he repeated, this time with a lot more concern in his voice, and Brooke stared back at him with a wide-eyed expression.

"I think my water just broke…"

---

**May**** 17****th**** 2013**

"You did good…" Haley says and he just nods. "Nathan has been trough it twice and he was a lot more nervous than you even the second time. You actually kept your head."

"Oh don't let that fool you Hales… I was scared shitless! Especially when the car wouldn't start…"

Haley laughs. "It was nothing wrong with the car Luke. You forgot to turn the ignition-key."

"Shut up."

Okay, so he had been insanely nervous, but who wouldn't be. Brooke had been in labor for Christ sake. And he had felt totally useless.

"Brooke was amazing though" he says and smiles. "Those hours in that delivery room made me respect her in a whole new way…"

They both stand in silence for a while, watching the others play out on the court.

Nathan, Jake and Skills are all involved in a basketball game with the younger kids. James already plays like a true pro, and Trey and Antwon tries their best to follow suite. Peyton is in the game too, trying to help the boys out, but to Lucas it seems that she is making more harm than good.

"Nice shot, chicken-legs!" Nathan shouts when Peyton throws an air-ball over 4 feet from the basket, and this time Lucas laughs out loud, followed by Jake and then Haley. Trey looks perplexed, like only a three year old can, and pulls Nathan's sleeve.

"Dad, Peyt is no chicken…"

But she might as well be. The blonde had always been hopeless when it came to sports.

Rachel and Bevin are sitting on the picnic table and squeezed in between them is Jenny. All three of them talk and move their hands rapidly and Lucas guesses that they are talking about make-up or boys. Jenny is twelve now and it always amazes him how much she has taken after Peyton. Accept for her total fascination for clothes of course, that was all from Brooke.

And then his eyes travel to Rachel's left side and his laughter fades into a wide-stretched smile. Brooke is bent over the baby-pram, picking up their newly awoken daughter. Eleven months old today. His Pretty girl and his Princess, the two loves of his life.

He kisses Haley on the top of her head and walks over to his girlfriend, suddenly feeling that incontrollable urge to kiss her.

"Hey baby" he says and sneaks his arms around her from the back. "You know I love you, right?"

"So you keep telling me…"

She smiles widely and lets him hug her, and his daughter stretches her little chubby arms towards him. Brooke pulls him in for a kiss and then dumps their baby in his arms.

"Go to daddy" she says and winks. "I bet he would like to change that yucky diaper… Mommy's gonna go and have a much needed girl-talk with Auntie Haley."

"Hey, no fair!" he says laughing, "I did the last one…"

But Brooke just kisses him again and leans in to whisper something in his ear. Something that makes his jaw drop.

"What? Are you serious Brooke? A third baby?"

She nods and then skips away, leaving him with his giggling, stinky, beautiful baby daughter. And not that he complains, he would never complain about anything surrounding his life with Brooke and their daughter. But he can't help but wonder if Nathan knows. With almost six year old James and three year old Jason, he and Haley already had a full house. But then again, his daughter had made Nathan secretly wish for a little girl of his own.

And who wouldn't want a baby-girl like this? His daughter was, and still is, a miracle…

---

**June 17****th**** 2012**

At twenty past four in the morning Lucas cut the cord connecting Brooke and the tiny baby she had just given birth to. And he cried, cried so much that he could hardly make out the contours of his daughters face.

And in that moment, when the midwife put the beautiful babygirl on Brooke's chest and he leaned down and kissed his girlfriend, he knew that his 24 year old life had changed. Nothing would ever be the same again.

Because now he was a father.

"I can't believe we did it…" Brooke whispered and stroked the baby's peach soft cheek with the tip of her finger. "Jesus Luke, can you look at this baby. She's going to become a supermodel before the end of this week…"

He nodded and wiped a new bash of tears away with the back of his hand. The baby had Brooke's coloring, amazingly long eyelashes and the cutest mouth. And when she opened her eyes, blinking against the strong fluorescent lighting, he got to see the bluest eyes he had ever seen on someone. They were the color of the Mediterranean Sea, almost turquoise.

"What should we name her?" he asked without taking his eyes of tiny infant.

They hadn't finished the name-discussion, mainly because they hadn't known if it would be a boy or a girl and Brooke had voted down most of his names anyway. But now Brooke just smiled.

"We're naming her Ava…" she said calmly. "Ava Karen Penelope Scott."

To that news Ava just yawned and he realized that Brooke was crying too.

"Ava is perfect" he mumbled.

A perfect name for a perfect child.

---

**May 17****th**** 2013**

He watches Brooke as she makes it over the court, ruffling Trey's light brown head of hair on the way. The little boy's facial expression is a lot sunnier now that Brooke isn't holding Ava. He just loves his auntie so much that he gets jealous. He simply wants Brooke all to himself.

And when Lucas thinks about it, so did James.

A couple of years ago he would never have thought that his girlfriend would be such a natural when it came to kids. After that babysitting disaster with James that first year he bets no one did. But now he could never imagine someone else as the mother of his child. Maybe they should have another baby too? He had missed so much when Brooke was pregnant with Ava and he would love to really be there this time. To take care of her while she carried his child and to share every moment.

And they had the room now. The bigger house that they had just bought had room for plenty of babies. The garden already had swings for Ava and a guesthouse for when his mom and Lily came to visit. And Brooke was dead set on putting in a Jacuzzi, since according to her, half their relationship had been spent in one.

Ava squirms on his arm and he kisses her chubby face a couple of times before turning his eyes back to Brooke. It's a beautiful summer evening but it's a little chilly and she's wearing his grey 'Scott's Bodyshop' hoody. To him it's funny that however much had changed over the years, all through out the time they had spent apart in college or during all their fights, his girlfriend's love for that old sweater had never altered. And watching her in it now makes him even more aware of passed times.

Her tanned legs are shown off in tiny shorts, since she's already back to looking as she did before the pregnancy, and her chocolate-brown hair flows freely in the breeze. She looks amazing in such a natural way that he can't help but stare.

Slowly he walks over to where she and Haley are standing. They're giggling and as he gets closer he hears Brooke say;

"I can't believe we made it… It was a long road."

Haley smiles and hugs Brooke. "You know Tigger, that's exactly what Luke said just a little while ago. But I told him that I'm not surprised at all. We all knew you and Lucas were meant to be."

"Sure tutor-mom. That's _not_ what you said when I got him drunk, tattooed and grounded…"

He sees Brooke wink and Haley makes a face. Then his childhood best friend laughs again.

"Okay, not _that_ time… but you've always brought out the fun in Lucas. He was a lot more broody before you came into his life. And talking about the two of you… When are you getting married? I can't believe that Peyton and Jake beat you two to the altar."

Hearing that, he frowns. Count on Haley to ruin all his surprises. He gets a better grip of his squirming little girl and reaches into his jeans pocket. Within seconds his fingers closes on the tiny object he's been carrying around for weeks.

He's just waiting for the perfect moment.

Ava squeals happily when James rushes by them and Brooke turns and sees him standing there.

"Eavesdropping, are we?" she says with one eyebrow raised in typical Brooke-fashion.

He smiles crookedly and takes the last few steps over to her.

"Hey Brooke…"

"What Broody?"

She smiles and her dimples are so deep he just wants to reach out and touch them.

He falls silent. He can't really say 'let's go home and make another baby' with Haley standing right next to her. So with a smile matching hers, and a husky undertone to his voice, he settles for the second biggest thought on his mind;

"You still look so damn good in my shirt…"

---

* * *

That was my season 5. And my first story finished. Wow...

Now on to new storylines. See you all in the land of fanfiction...

Love /Lynn


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